Venting thread

[Travis B.]

Dear malloc, I (and probably all of us) read with pleasure that you are capable of dealing with this issue in a reasonable way instead of catastrophizing over it. I understand that it is just a defective car, which is of lesser magnitude than the worries you used to catastrophize over, but doesn't it show you that problems can be dealt with? Stay hopeful, and you will find a way of addressing your worries. It worked with me.

Unfortunately that car is my only way to work so losing it will leave me unemployed and unemployable. Even getting to the dealership to buy a new car would be impossible. From what I understand, Europe has good public transit and one can theoretically live without a car in many areas. In the US though, we need cars for pretty much anything apart from checking our mail.

You do know that transmissions can be replaced, and for less than the price of a new car, right?

[malloc]

You do know that transmissions can be replaced, and for less than the price of a new car, right?

But not for a used car, which is all I can possibly afford. Currently it looks like I will have to hope the car holds out for fifty more miles of work commutes before I can get it inspected on Wednesday and hope further that they can fix it on my tight budget. If not, this is simply the end of the road for me. There is nobody around here who will give me rides to work or even the dealership to buy a car so I will simply lose my job and starve to death.

[Darren]

You do know that transmissions can be replaced, and for less than the price of a new car, right?

But not for a used car, which is all I can possibly afford. Currently it looks like I will have to hope the car holds out for fifty more miles of work commutes before I can get it inspected on Wednesday and hope further that they can fix it on my tight budget. If not, this is simply the end of the road for me. There is nobody around here who will give me rides to work or even the dealership to buy a car so I will simply lose my job and starve to death.

You should try Marketplace for second hand cars. I bought one off there four years ago (when second hand car prices were at their highest, in a state with notoriously high prices) for about $2000 US, I've never serviced it apart from changing the oil (very easy and cheap), and it has never failed me despite heavy use. Pretty much anything Japanese from 1990-2010 will be cheap and reliable transport.

[alice]

Some on this board might have an interesting perspective on the fact that the majority of job recommendations I get are "fully remote in <large British town or city>" freelance AI training positions for the same few companies at same hourly rate, seemingly differing only in location and programming language. My perspective is that it's just annoying.

[Ahzoh]

Learned yesterday that my cat (13 yo) has stage 2 kidney disease.

There is no way to reverse it but it is not fatal as long as we can stop it from progressing.

It isn't the end, but this does indicate my cat has reached and gone past the top of the hill of life.

[Darren]

Learned yesterday that my cat (13 yo) has stage 2 kidney disease.

There is no way to reverse it but it is not fatal as long as we can stop it from progressing.

It isn't the end, but this does indicate my cat has reached and gone past the top of the hill of life.

I'm very sorry to hear that. When our cat was 14, it got very sick with kidney failure. The vet rehydrated it but told us the blood figures were too bad and it would have to be put down in a few days, so we took it home and waited for it to get sick again. Little bugger lasted two years with apparently non-functioning kidneys and was happy as Larry. Eventually it did catch up to it, but they can go on for a while with pretty worn out kidneys with no signs of unhappiness.

[Travis B.]

My favorite radio station, FM 102.1, here in Milwaukee is being sold to the Christian radio network K-Love and will be changing format in about a month's time. I don't know of any other good Alternative stations here in the Milwaukee area. Ugh.

[Lērisama]

My favorite radio station, FM 102.1, here in Milwaukee is being sold to the Christian radio network K-Love and will be changing format in about a month's time. I don't know of any other good Alternative stations here in the Milwaukee area. Ugh.

Is “changing format” likely to be a euphemism for Jesusifying¹ then?

¹ I have no clue what type of Christian they are. I guessed Evangelical, hence Jesusifying, but I could be wrong

[Travis B.]

My favorite radio station, FM 102.1, here in Milwaukee is being sold to the Christian radio network K-Love and will be changing format in about a month's time. I don't know of any other good Alternative stations here in the Milwaukee area. Ugh.

Is “changing format” likely to be a euphemism for Jesusifying¹ then?

¹ I have no clue what type of Christian they are. I guessed Evangelical, hence Jesusifying, but I could be wrong

K-Love is 'non-denominational' (read: evangelical).

[Raphael]

1) Sorry to hear this. Whenever something good comes along, it gets messed up sooner or later.

2) There are still people listening to regular local radio?

[Travis B.]

1) Sorry to hear this. Whenever something good comes along, it gets messed up sooner or later.

And of course it has to be the damn Christian types to blame... Supposedly it is likely to be replaced with 'contemporary Christian music for 35-44 year olds', i.e. total and utter crap.

2) There are still people listening to regular local radio?

I certainly listen to regular local radio in my car myself.

[Raphael]

Supposedly it is likely to be replaced with 'contemporary Christian music for 35-44 year olds', i.e. total and utter crap.

I find it quite annoying how US and US-style Evangelicals have managed it to convince themselves and many other people that the term "Christian" refers to themselves and only themselves, and their stuff. And that goes especially for music and other forms of art.

Other variants of Christianity have inspired some of the greatest art and music in human history. And then, in the late 20th century, Evangelicals came along, invented some bad imitations of secular music styles, and called that "Christian music". And they somehow convinced large parts of the world that that is what the term "Christian music" means.

[Travis B.]

Supposedly it is likely to be replaced with 'contemporary Christian music for 35-44 year olds', i.e. total and utter crap.

I find it quite annoying how US and US-style Evangelicals have managed it to convince themselves and many other people that the term "Christian" refers to themselves and only themselves, and their stuff. And that goes especially for music and other forms of art.

Other variants of Christianity have inspired some of the greatest art and music in human history. And then, in the late 20th century, Evangelicals came along, invented some bad imitations of secular music styles, and called that "Christian music". And they somehow convinced large parts of the world that that is what the term "Christian music" means.

Here in the US, when people call themselves 'Christian' they almost always mean 'Evangelical'. Catholics, mainline Protestants, and Orthodox typically don't call themselves such here.

[Travis B.]

I found a radio station to replace FM 102.1, 88.9, which is a listener-supported indie alternative station (which is much more 'indie' than FM 102.1 was). 91.7, i.e. WMSE (which is run by MSOE) was also recommended, but I can't get it out where I live.

[malloc]

My favorite radio station, FM 102.1, here in Milwaukee is being sold to the Christian radio network K-Love and will be changing format in about a month's time. I don't know of any other good Alternative stations here in the Milwaukee area. Ugh.

Ugh, hate when that happens. St Louis used to have a classical radio station but that got turned into Christian music as well.

Regarding my car troubles, my visit to the transmission shop was inconclusive. They didn't find anything specifically wrong with the transmission that would suggest its eminent demise, but no explanation for the whining either.

[Darren]

Regarding my car troubles, my visit to the transmission shop was inconclusive. They didn't find anything specifically wrong with the transmission that would suggest its eminent demise, but no explanation for the whining either.

That's kind of good news I guess. Can I ask what kind of car it is?

[malloc]

That's kind of good news I guess. Can I ask what kind of car it is?

Nissan versa from 2014

[Darren]

That's kind of good news I guess. Can I ask what kind of car it is?

Nissan versa from 2014

It seems that Versas have known transmission problems, especially up to 2012. They're CVTs which I don't trust at all but are all the rage in modern cars. Plus they're made to be unserviceable so you can't even check the fluid level. I assume the trans shop checked and probably changed the fluid for you which might help; if they didn't it's worth getting it done (either yourself or by a shop).

[Raphael]

Since yesterday evening, I've been having really a lot of acid reflux, to the extent that I'm starting to wonder if something's seriously wrong. And unlike on previous occasions, it doesn't seem to get better no matter how much Magaldrate I take.

[malloc]

Looks like I just got myself fired. I dropped a box of silicon wafers at work and cost the plant thousands. This comes at a time when they're already planning on slashing our hours and ditch low performers to cut costs. With the recent news that jobs are rapidly disappearing, this is probably the end for me.