# Twtxt is an open, distributed microblogging platform that # uses human-readable text files, common transport protocols, # and free software. # # Learn more about twtxt at https://github.com/buckket/twtxt # # This is an automated Yarn.social feed running feeds v0.1.0@72e53a9 # Learn more about Yarn.social at https://yarn.social # # nick = TechConnectify@mas.to # url = https://feeds.twtxt.net/TechConnectify@mas.to/twtxt.txt # type = rss # source = https://mas.to/@TechConnectify.rss # avatar = https://feeds.twtxt.net/TechConnectify@mas.to/avatar.png#rcbtzwg34alavizdevwxtonj3ydcur7xvbunylv6yfebabtwe3ya # description = Public posts from @TechConnectify@mas.to # updated_at = 2024-11-11T14:30:38Z # 2022-12-26T03:06:57Z ****
more sounds are causing this behavior:

The door alarm on the fridge was next. That's not very loud, but he doesn't like it.

It seemed high-pitched beeping noises were the main culprits, but I have just discovered a weird one.

He does not like the little toaster oven air fryer thing my mom and dad have. The noise of the fan sets him off! They've had it put away for a while, since before this problem started, and I got it out to use it.

Welp. Poor Frankie is scared of it. Very strange. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109577766020531822) 2022-12-26T03:01:44Z ****
This is my mom and dad's dog Frankie. He turned 10 this year, and as he has gotten older he has developed a very peculiar sensitivity to certain sounds.

Earlier in the year he started having anxiety attacks of some kind. Suddenly he would cower by the front door, or run into the bathroom and hide behind the toilet, shivering up a storm.

Eventually my mom and dad figured out it was the chirping smoke alarm setting him over the edge.

As time has gone on, ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109577745528305743) 2022-12-25T23:29:52Z ****
Reading through some of the comments on the computer critical program reading video has been pretty illuminating for me, honestly.

It's amazing how strange passionate arguments can seem when you don't have a dog in the hunt.

I must remember that ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109576912412129780) 2022-12-25T14:38:43Z ****
My Christmas gift to the world is this new video

[https://youtu.be/tg--L9TKL0I](https://youtu.be/tg--L9TKL0I) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109574823848232957) 2022-12-25T02:38:51Z ****
Andrew Lloyd Webber has a very particular sense of color. During development of a new show, he needed a way to communicate his vision. History was made when he picked up a book and discovered it was there: the Pantone® of the opera. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109571993214909075) 2022-12-25T01:41:28Z ****
"Why, this car is made of hay!"

"Yes, it's an Alfalfa Romeo" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109571767590588028) 2022-12-24T21:21:35Z ****
How hard is it to put a PTC heater in the car which can immediately heat the coolant?

I mean, the Bolt has one. My Ioniq 5 has one. It's not that expensive of a part.

And it directly heats the water, it doesn't lose heat to the atmosphere, so it's going to be much faster and much more efficient.

At least, I would think so. I'd love to see if other people have experimented with this. The Tesla taking more than a half hour just to start charging seems abysmal. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109570745644089128) 2022-12-24T21:19:26Z ****
Watching this video is adding some anecdata to my hunch

[https://youtu.be/i-c8AUeKs5c](https://youtu.be/i-c8AUeKs5c)

Teslas basically stall the motors to generate heat, then pump coolant into the motor and transfer it into the battery pack. People seem to think this is really clever, and I think it's actually really stupid. Like, phenomenally stupid.

You cannot heat the battery pack quickly when you need to heat up the thermal mass of the motors first. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109570737177545135) 2022-12-24T04:44:44Z ****
It is a special kind of amazing that here at the tail end of 2022 I still cannot look at the YouTube studio app from my phone and see how uploaded the video that is uploading from my laptop is.

Why. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109566825908209422) 2022-12-24T03:08:01Z ****
And you know what? I even ran into that problem where you can't just turn the burner down because of the thermal inertia. Nearly had a pot boil over.

But upon reflection, I think I would rather get used to that then deal with the indoor air pollution. And, like I said, it is legitimately easier from a heat-on-skin perspective cook with an electric stove. That's kinda cool, actually. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109566445607648907) 2022-12-24T03:06:03Z ****
Spending some time at my folks' place and using their glass-ceramic electric cooktop.

Let me tell you folks, once you start to get the brain nugget that gas stoves aren't that great you start to even appreciate bog-standard electric stoves.

It is so nice to be able to stir a simmering pot without the exhaust (!) flying around the pot and searing your hand a little. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109566437841604800) 2022-12-23T05:59:15Z ****
For some farmers, getting an irrigation system installed is a pivotal moment. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109561456596876613) 2022-12-21T18:37:25Z ****
"shuttled between" is very fun to say ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109553113197387664) 2022-12-20T22:23:06Z ****
Every time somebody abbreviates mother-in-law to MIL, I have to disengage my car nerd brain because that parses first to me as "Malfunction Indicator Lamp" aka the check engine light. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109548338303679924) 2022-12-20T17:14:49Z ****
Anyway, time for some soup. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109547126092659988) 2022-12-20T16:45:34Z ****
**Content warning:** Birdsite

* * *

I'm not gonna judge you if you still like Twitter - and these people are (at least in my experience) mostly right that the core experience hasn't changed all that much (at least for those of use who always used Latest Tweets)

It's just hard for me to stick around there. Maybe it can get better. Maybe if Elon actually hands over the reigns it'll be worth another look.

But I can't stand the poking and taunting from the righteous right now. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109547011092054826) 2022-12-20T16:40:52Z ****
**Content warning:** Birdsite

* * *

Checked in on how things are going.

You will probably not be surprised that most of the people who are all like "why are you leaving?" are either A) the same people who would always hang around when I was critical of Tesla and like every single reply that defended That Company and/or B) incapable of understanding the hypocrisy or else am fine with it because They Like That Guy ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109546992624128622) 2022-12-20T14:51:08Z ****
Oh no, now I can toot from my phone. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109546561123886452) 2022-12-18T19:38:25Z ****
**Content warning:** Birdsite

* * *

It's fascinating and disturbing watching people take the plain language of the new policy and twist it to mean "well, they're really only going after spammers..."

It is clearly not that. There are two separate sections, one specifically about content \*on the tweet level\* and another on suspension of accounts.

People are happily concluding the latter precludes the former and it's driving me mad. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109536366127988507) 2022-12-18T19:05:15Z ****
Hello, new people! Welcome. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109536235708627082) 2022-12-26T16:38:53Z ****
Anyway, if you want to see the tape here's a link.

Long story short, the 16mm film turned out to have been kinescoped from a tape source. Since it wasn't produced onto film, the film copy is genuinely worse in many ways.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bvq5HrqxNo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bvq5HrqxNo) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109580958660734767) 2022-12-26T16:37:29Z ****
I just put a community post up on YT to a VHS transfer of the EPCOT film that was in my latest video.

First comment on that post is "Complete boycott of anything Disney here."

I wonder if that person realizes they're virtue signaling... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109580953158272241) 2022-12-27T14:34:58Z ****
I don't know if it's a boosterism thing or just ignorance but all the articles I'm reading about soon-to-come domestic heat pumps that work down to -20°F seem to just completely ignore what Asian manufacturers like Mitsubishi, Daikin, Fujitsu etc. build right now. Today. As in now. And to be clear, I mean today. Like, right now. They exist now. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109586133724215803) 2022-12-27T14:36:51Z ****
This isn't to say we don't need much more heat pump manufacturing, and it would be cool if the US giants like Carrier, Lennox, York, etc. make heat pumps that work like Japanese ones but conform more to American tastes (let's be real, to American eyes the slim outdoor units look strange).

It's just really frustrating that people paint this as a groundbreaking achievement when it's really just, like, we are embarrassingly late. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109586141149114883) 2022-12-27T17:51:45Z ****
Re: slim vs. barrel-style heat pumps

I don't have an opinion either way, although I will say that I believe the barrel style could prove better functionally as it has coil area on all sides but anyway...

I do think there are a lot of Americans who view a slim unit as "weird and foreign" although that is just a hunch.

People absolutely hate change, though, so I think the hunch is warranted ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109586907503257700) 2022-12-27T23:17:18Z ****
If I were a better person, I could probably be at peace with this and perhaps even view it as a good-faith effort to put that info out so others can see it.

Alas, I'm not that better person. It bugs me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109588187584906875) 2022-12-27T23:15:41Z ****
Regrettably, one of the irritating phenomena of my Twitter experience still happens here.

Let's see, how can I put this delicately...

Just because the words aren't in the tweet/toot doesn't mean I'm not aware of whatever it is you think you need to tell me, and it's pretty irritating when you assume I must be missing something obvious. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109588181262115283) 2022-12-29T01:26:40Z ****
Darn it, I only just now realized I could have changed one word for better alliteration in my last script.

"Stems" instead of "comes" would have left

"The frantic flicker on the silver screen is where the slang term flick stems from, fun fact!"

That was a surprisingly hard line to deliver, by the way ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109594358633274372) 2022-12-29T01:24:19Z ****
Fire Ants

Fine Arts

That's all. I just think that's neat. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109594349400442319) 2022-12-29T19:38:02Z ****
I feel like not enough praise gets given to the Chevy Bolt's range estimator.

Notice how to the left of the battery gauge there's a green line extending all the way up to the max number? That is an instantaneous trend line, and it is incredibly helpful!

When you're driving fast and it's cold, it trends down to help you know you need to slow down or change the climate control to attain the predicted range. When things get better, the line moves up.

The UI team nailed this back in 2017 ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109598650039378945) 2022-12-29T19:41:23Z ****
I have never seen something so useful since then, and my new Hyundai Ioniq 5 has nowhere near as useful information, let alone laid out so nicely.

In the example I showed here, a few days ago I drove the car 70 highway miles in extreme cold and wet roads. Range was abysmally bad, and so it's predicted range after being recharged was pretty poop.

Now, though, it is immediately trending way up because conditions are better and it's correcting. Here's after ~18 miles of driving ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109598663239196853) 2022-12-29T21:19:18Z ****
For those that watched the silly Connextras video where I started my snow blower, well you'll be happy to know that I'm at my folks' place running their generator with a couple of space heaters hooked up to it to burn off what's in there so I can put fresh fuel in for them.

The gas that's in there is who knows how old, I'd say five years at this point, but the ol' thing still fires up and runs great. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109599048267078754) 2022-12-29T21:27:41Z ****
Their generator feels as much mine as theirs - it's a cheap Champion thing that was $299 if I remember right, and I was in high school when they got it.

Bad storm knocked out power for a lotta folks and they were lucky to find it. I helped set it up for them, and I've been its caretaker since, well, my dad's not good at keeping track of stuff like this.

It's saved their, mine, family, and friends bacon several times. Always happy when it fires up without complaining.

Not bad for a cheap thing ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109599081202800500) 2022-12-29T23:40:06Z ****
Guy buys a house.

"Oh, so you have municipal water?"

"Well, actually." ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109599601915727024) 2022-12-30T14:14:42Z ****
Is it the smartest thing in the world? No.

But I couldn't stand the "what the heck man, you're not a cop" commentary from the big rig driver.

As someone who used to commute on the Tri-State all the time, I know how much of a problem it can be when big rigs are not in the lanes they are supposed to be in. The "no trucks two left lanes" signs are there for a reason, and it drives me and everyone else up the wall when they are not followed. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109603040935619115) 2022-12-30T14:12:28Z ****
A crotchety take:

So YT just served me a trucker dashcam compilation. I indulge from time to time, and usually I get a good laugh out of the amazing feats some drivers get up to.

Well, this latest one I watched had the trucker \*clearly\* in the wrong. On a wide-open six-lane interstate, the truck is hanging out in the passing lane and somebody in a pickup decides to get in front, throw on hazards, and safely slow down to force the truck over.

And you know what? I agree with the pickup driver. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109603032150504758) 2022-12-30T14:43:25Z ****
While on the subject of highway driving, I \*desperately\* need the entire driving public to understand the difference between these two signs please and thank you. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109603153847999930) 2022-12-30T19:39:14Z ****
Are the pope's edicts the cardinal directions? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109604317073552562) 2022-12-31T16:04:43Z ****
Congrats on using that impossible image in the headline. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109609135852502700) 2022-12-31T16:09:42Z ****
To be clear, I don't have anything against projectors per se, but you need a dedicated space for them or else the ability to \*completely\* darken a room.

You will be very disappointed if you try to use one as a TV replacement for ordinary TV scenarios. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109609155477155121) 2022-12-31T16:22:53Z ****
...do I need to make a video about this? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109609207290730040) 2023-01-02T23:02:44Z ****
On two completely separate podcasts I listen to I have heard people lament the current situation of news media behind paywalls, float some sort of "well how about I give you $0.10 to read this article" idea, then get into all the icky things that come about from that.

Guys, and I know I'm a little biased here, but what you need is YouTube Premium but for newspapers. Come together, build that, there you go. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109622104225650411) 2023-01-02T23:04:57Z ****
Worried about the incentives of paying by click?

Don't be. Do something about, like, reading time. Just as YT Premium pays out via watch time. Going to need some more tracking for that, which yeah that's problematic, but I feel like the answer is there. Some sort of premium news app that feeds everything to you, and distributes subscription revenue based upon how much time you read articles.

Anyway, eat your vegetables. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109622112941875098) 2023-01-03T04:16:05Z ****
An update!

We figured out it is the little bell in the timer mechanism that is setting Frankie off. He's smart enough to recognize when the oven thing is on and that at some point it will ding. Which, honestly, wow! Smart doggo!

I wish I knew why that noise bothers him so, but in the end - guess who has another small kitchen appliance now? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109623336310805897) 2023-01-04T00:56:43Z ****
Time to reveal some images.

This is a developing situation. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109628214718686144) 2023-01-04T03:03:52Z ****
The 120 rolls are done and drying. Now to work through this tower. Should take about an hour after I get them loaded into tanks ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109628714669841228) 2023-01-04T06:14:13Z ****
All done! Took a bit longer than expected but there's 9 rolls taken care of. And yes, that's a coat closet.

Tomorrow, we scan! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109629463138961584) 2023-01-04T16:44:28Z ****
I'll never forget the day I was finally recognized for my exceptionally good skills at punching holes in leather.

They said to me "hey now, you're an awl star" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109631941435057431) 2023-01-04T23:05:01Z ****
Why shoot film with old cameras?

For the thrill that comes after the rewarding work crafting exceptional selfies like this one. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109633437771432456) 2023-01-04T23:09:05Z ****
**Content warning:** But wait, there's more!

* * *

So to explain what happened here - well I only kinda-sorta know. These two frames had severe light leaks, but the rest of the roll is fine. I also don't really remember why I took these.

These were taken with my Olympus Trip 35, and there's been film in there for a long while so it may just have a small light leak that eventually ate at these two frames. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109633453770176201) 2023-01-04T23:13:39Z ****
And here's an actually not effed up frame.

Also notable is that this is on my remaining stock of Lucky Super 200, which has hilarious quality control problems. Lots of rolls have weird color shifts at the start! But it has a gritty quality to it that I like. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109633471751058982) 2023-01-05T17:03:00Z ****
If Lenin had formed a 10-pin team, they'd call themselves the Bowlsheviks ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109637676590460602) 2023-01-05T20:30:14Z ****
1995 also brings this thoughtful message ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109638491489357838) 2023-01-05T20:28:16Z ****
You might be a fan of the liquid crystals, or maybe you like that new OLED stuff.

But my favorite display technology has got to be high voltage neon dot matrix ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109638483752545446) 2023-01-05T23:09:39Z ****
Oh hey look, another charging network in the works that's open to all EVs. Weird what can happen when there's a real charging standard that every\* automaker agrees on.

\*except That One

[https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/01/mercedes-benz-to-build-an-ev-fast-charging-network-starting-in-the-us/](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/01/mercedes-benz-to-build-an-ev-fast-charging-network-starting-in-the-us/) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109639118291582838) 2023-01-05T23:14:13Z ****
Though I will say the absolute \*weirdest\* aspect of this, to me, is that at least here in the US, none of the big oil companies are pushing any sort of charging plans. It's always automakers partnering with the likes of ChargePoint.

My guess is that while you would think they would want to leverage the infrastructure of today's gas stations, they don't actually own them and the required investments are far too expensive for franchisees ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109639136281251630) 2023-01-05T23:11:59Z ****
It's going to be so lovely to have all this competition and choice in charging providers.

The Betamaxing of the Tesla connector is well underway. Don't say I didn't tell you because I've been telling you for ages!

Bubbles be a poppin' ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109639127481625266) 2023-01-06T05:35:01Z ****
\*looks at Congress\*

Guys, we're doing SO great! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109640633634145407) 2023-01-06T20:51:17Z ****
Why use singe-step "digital cameras" when you can make photography a several tedious steps process? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109644236526411171) 2023-01-08T06:00:19Z ****
With time, alphabets always increase in randomness. We call this LM Entropy. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109652057769148415) 2023-01-09T15:39:31Z ****
Since our brains are really, really, extraordinarily good at finding patterns in things, even when they're not there, I'm starting to think that there is a simple and fundamental danger in being exposed to too many ideas.

Perhaps the tendency to fall into silos is equal parts confirmation bias and information overload. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109659997591138160) 2023-01-09T15:41:06Z ****
This toot brought to you by "I just popped into the birdsite and got overwhelmed by all the everything" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109660003764091649) 2023-01-09T20:33:20Z ****
Does anybody on here know someone in the US who still gets coal delivered to their home for heating?

Apparently this is still a thing in some parts - and you can find companies online that deliver coal in bulk! - but it seems really off-the-wall to me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109661152934189157) 2023-01-09T23:49:16Z ****
My uncle worked at a computer company, and I've always wanted to see how they are made. So I asked him to show me an assembly line and he replied with a bunch of weird letters and stuff. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109661923349717000) 2023-01-10T19:34:41Z ****
Of course, it's also full of manufactures hawking their vanity fare. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109666584589072724) 2023-01-10T19:32:11Z ****
Ever been to a builder's convention where they show off the latest trends in bathroom design?

It's a real vanity fair. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109666574749684399) 2023-01-10T23:34:46Z ****
**Content warning:** Birdsite / Elon

* * *

Totally just random chance that the first, like, dozen tweets I saw when clicking on "FSD Beta" under the trending tab were all praise for what the system can do and not the surveillance footage of the crash, right?

Right? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109667528656208965) 2023-01-10T23:45:40Z ****
**Content warning:** Birdsite / Elon

* * *

Every time I go back there, it reaffirms my decision to stop using it. The ego-stroking is so blatant. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109667571486240359) 2023-01-11T04:24:34Z ****
You have not experienced ruthless marketing until you purchase a vehicle with a Sirius XM radio.

Seriously. The mail never stops coming. And they are really crafty and disguising each of their stupid little offers so you don't know what it is until you open it.

Man are they scummy. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109668668205693518) 2023-01-12T21:23:40Z ****
To anyone following the latest culture war bull excrement, ironically I just finished wrestling with some 6 AWG cable. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109678337722051837) 2023-01-12T21:27:49Z ****
Oh and this means that one of the most famous breaker boxes on the internet is now officially full. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109678354104002273) 2023-01-12T21:25:35Z ****
(electric range replacement is in the works)

I've done enough electrical work to really understand and be comfortable with what I'm doing but 6/3 cable is a right monster and I hate it ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109678345297191317) 2023-01-14T23:08:53Z ****
This is what a single trip to the hardware store looks like out where my parents live.

Notice the miles driven, time it took, and remaining battery status (started this at 100%).

But by all means, please keep telling us electric cars only work in cities. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109690076130743585) 2023-01-14T23:21:12Z ****
Oh right, and I should add that to recover this charge on a 7.2 kW charger would take about 2 and a half hours.

Again - you really don't need a giant charger. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109690124511802412) 2023-01-15T00:04:23Z ****
It's actually pretty interesting as a phenomenon. Basically toots just kept not loading, but I could still see that person's profile.

Now suddenly it's "unavailable"

Anyway, I'm just a dirty capitalist because sometimes I toot about electric cars and think they're neat. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109690294306843477) 2023-01-15T00:02:23Z ****
I did it, guys! I got blocked by somebody on Mastodon!

It's never felt realer. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109690286500678924) 2023-01-15T06:30:51Z ****
We become numb to the risks that we are accustomed to, and that's quite natural. After all, it's extremely uncommon for gas leaks to happen in the grand scheme.

But you and I literally have pressurized pipes in our homes filled with an explosive gas - and the supply behind that pipe is for all intents and purposes limitless. Fun! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109691814018409028) 2023-01-15T06:26:17Z ****
I should clarify, if you like cooking with gas fine. Whatever.

But I do think that it's worth considering that if what I just explained feels kind of dangerous to you, imagine the propane tank is exchanged with a pipe that leads directly to a gas factory and there you go. It's exactly the same. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109691795999766886) 2023-01-15T06:23:50Z ****
Suddenly wondering how many people who staunchly defend their gas stoves would be concerned by bringing a propane tank and a camping stove into their kitchen.

I bet it's a lot. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109691786380713545) 2023-01-15T06:52:10Z ****
Okay, so I guess either people are more comfortable with this than I imagined or I haven't explained this thought experiment quite well enough.

I'm basically trying to get you to imagine bringing in like a full grill tank of propane and hooking it up to some sort of janky camping stove in your house.

That feels kind of sketchy to me, even though I literally have an appliance which is that, and permanently piped in to an endless supply of gas.

'twas my point. Anyway gnight ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109691897837274317) 2023-01-18T18:30:49Z ****
Dishwasher pro-tip!

If you battle hard water like I do, and you get calcium deposits on your pots, pans, and silverware that look all icky, load 'em all up in your dishwasher (clean) and run a cleaning cycle with your dishwasher cleaner product of choice.

Helps clear out the ick in your machine, and tackles the deposits in one go! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109711631928077947) 2023-01-19T01:25:57Z ****
Before it's gone, I'm running some tests with the gas stove. I want to make some comparisons over on Connextras.

Boiling approx. 5 liters of water (most in a pot, some in a kettle) brought indoor CO2 levels from 818 ppm to ~1200 ppm \*with the extractor running\*

And now that I'm in the middle of cooking a meal which needs the oven, we're here and climbing. This meter is approximately 30 (9-ish meters) feet from the stove.

It's not great, folks!

1440 as I hit Toot! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109713264343873530) 2023-01-19T01:29:11Z ****
To quote myself "it's almost like burning fossil fuels inside your living space is a bad idea or something" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109713277027158700) 2023-01-19T02:46:57Z ****
Just to give you some final numbers, here is roughly where we peaked when I shut off the oven, and the lower number is after a solid hour of the extractor running plus two bathroom fans.

Honestly pleasantly surprised it's down that much, but gosh are all those fans annoying! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109713582838405009) 2023-01-20T20:02:08Z ****
I've been boiling a lot of water you guys.

As I suspected, in all but one case my standard radiant cooktop is boiling the same water in the same cookware \*faster\* than my old gas stove could manage. Even its smallest burners are coming out ahead!

The only test it's lost so far is 4 quarts in a big pot. Compared to the scary-ass "quick boil" fire monster, this electric stove is... 90 seconds slower. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109723315654371555) 2023-01-20T21:02:37Z ****
Since I'm sure people will keep asking, here's why I didn't go induction:

1\. I don't care to have the best of the best (tortured midwesterner) and think standard electric is Fine™

2\. Cost delta for models with other features I wanted was absurd

3\. I have a lot of cookware that doesn't work with it, and since market penetration in the US is still pretty poor, induction-compatible cookware often needs seeking out. I'd rather have the cruder option that's guaranteed to work with whatever I want ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109723553454521694) 2023-01-22T20:32:55Z ****
Observation:

I keep hearing that to European tastes, a combo stove/oven (which we call a range) is old-fashioned. Which feels quite weird to me since they allow for a much more compact kitchen layout!

The very common range with over-the-range microwave/vent hood combo means you have all your cooking basics occupying the same small square of floorspace. There are better or fancier layouts but this basic one is at this point the defacto standard for other-than-luxury new housing, for good reason! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109734761299440363) 2023-01-22T20:44:18Z ****
Addendum - equally important, I'd say, is how much easier it is to build a kitchen when you just leave a 30 inch gap between two cabinets and stick a range there. Then you're done.

Also makes replacing it way, way easier.

My read has always been that anything built-in is "fancy" - and I think most of my compatriots would feel similarly.

Anyway, this is just observational - not trying to claim Kitchen Superiority or anything. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109734806076525394) 2023-01-23T15:32:20Z ****
I think I already knew this, but boy are kitchen opinions intense and defended with vigor. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109739241687764484) 2023-01-23T17:34:09Z ****
Y'know that discomfort when you're with someone who's getting all worked up over something that really isn't a big deal?

That's basically what it feels like every time I look at Twitter. A lot of social media seems to be a contest to see who can get the most worked up the loudest - and that ain't healthy for anybody. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109739720703269612) 2023-01-23T17:36:53Z ****
And please, spare me. I know that that's partly what I do in my videos, and I'm uncomfortable with that.

I can only hope people recognize more clearly in video form that it's literally performative. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109739731402163366) 2023-01-25T18:19:55Z ****
I made a timely video.

[https://youtu.be/PnJZSk4JHFM](https://youtu.be/PnJZSk4JHFM) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109751225235194068) 2023-01-26T05:16:35Z ****
In the textiles industry, misaligned patterns is a looming issue. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109753807350568260) 2023-01-26T16:30:31Z ****
For funsies, for this last video when I finished up the edit and rendered it out I decided to plug my edit drive into a USB 2.0 cable just to see how much of a pain that would be.

Surprisingly... it wasn't! Took Premiere a tad bit longer to open the project, but overall I wouldn't have known a difference. The render also happened quick as ever. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109756457414720301) 2023-01-26T19:19:23Z ****
Gonna start a service where white herons fly to deliver messages, and I'll call it "an egret to inform you" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109757121401899996) 2023-01-27T01:00:35Z ****
Ya know, in DS9 exterior shots (and in the intro) the station is clearly in direct sunlight. Yet none of the interiors are ever lit as if that's the case. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109758463046219588) 2023-01-30T00:59:52Z ****
Rendering a one hour and 7 minute connextras video in which I ramble on about the tests I've done with my new electric stove and why maybe gas stoves aren't the best things in the world.

Spoiler: having thought through it some more, there is really only one disadvantage to a conventional electric cooktop versus a good half dozen advantages over a gas cooktop. For me and my needs, electric is the obvious choice. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109775447194011299) 2023-01-30T01:01:27Z ****
By the way, I'm not going into this in the video but as a piece of anecdata, my brother and I both had childhood asthma and we both grew up in houses with gas stoves. Supposedly the correlation is quite strong, particularly in regions (like Illinois) where gas stoves are prevalent. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109775453408739765) 2023-01-30T16:41:20Z ****
Hello, people of Mastodon!

While I finish up making a thumbnail and putting chapter markers in place, feel free to take a look at my Connextras video about stoves.

[https://youtu.be/eUywI8YGy0Y](https://youtu.be/eUywI8YGy0Y) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109779149152085436) 2023-01-30T18:02:40Z ****
Took like two minutes for a "they will never stop they want to control everything is the whole point" comment to show up. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109779469004916480) 2023-02-01T20:52:28Z ****
Alright, now we're cooking with...

car. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109791461301207638) 2023-02-01T21:01:37Z ****
To explain, this is my car's vehicle-to-load function in action.

A simple adapter signals the car to backfeed AC voltage from an inverter to the charge port (This is a generic adapter, btw, teardowns of the official unit reveal it's basically just a resistor across the control pins).

This adapter turns the car into a generator capable of running basic necessities for days. You have the full 15A of any outlet at your disposal.

Pretty neat™ ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109791497232462021) 2023-02-02T02:22:50Z ****
Since this is doing numbers - this is not a universal feature of EVs! You can't just buy this adapter and expect it to work.

This adapter is specific to Hyundai/Kia E-GMP platform cars (so, right now, the Ioniq 5, soon-to-be Ioniq 6, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60).

However, V2L and V2G tech will undoubtedly spread to more and more models - and some are already capable of providing whole-home power backup (like the Ford Lightning).

Batteries: they're pretty neat™ ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109792760347634305) 2023-02-02T03:47:09Z ****
In response to a troll, I shared the latest energy mix numbers. And folks - I didn't realize we were this far already!

Anybody who still says crap like "you mean your coal-powered car?" is just woefully misinformed.

I mean, I knew that, but I didn't realize it was quite this extreme.

[https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3](https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109793091866580039) 2023-02-02T05:24:15Z ****
Ok folks, those of you who saw my stove video, there are some folks who think that I would have gotten a better boiling time with the mega-burner had I turned \*down\* that burner slightly to keep the flames entirely under the pot.

It feels to me like whatever heat-transfer benefit that might give would be negated by the fact that the raw heat output has now been reduced.

And I'm pretty sure younger-me did in fact test this, and it was always fastest to set the burner to its highest.

Thoughts? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109793473663917018) 2023-02-02T05:27:55Z ****
I cannot see how we can possibly reduce the output of the mega-burner and get a shorter boiling time.

I can bring that pot with me and test on a different gas stove later but am wondering if any of you have concrete evidence or experience that would indicate a smaller flame can lead to faster boiling. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109793488077825805) 2023-02-02T05:26:41Z ****
Comparing by numbers, we don't seem to have lost anything. The 9k BTU "normal" burner took 20 minutes to boil 8 cups. In that test, the flame was entirely under the flat bottom of the pot.

The mega-burner, at 17k BTU, took 16:47 to boil 4 quarts - which is twice as much water.

That data suggests we actually got \*better\* heat transfer with the mega-burner, even though the flames licked up the sides of the pot. Which makes fine sense to me as the sides of the pot can also absorb heat energy. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109793483251979333) 2023-02-02T16:14:17Z ****
When Tesla does stuff like Mahmood outlines here... well honestly that's my biggest beef.

They are arguing some truly wild things. I'd encourage you to check it out.

[https://youtu.be/aQ3W8hxZgoM](https://youtu.be/aQ3W8hxZgoM) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109796029749416765) 2023-02-03T03:14:08Z ****
You gotta be careful discussing open source stuff with dermatologists, they might mishear you. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109798624375821853) 2023-02-04T18:28:11Z ****
Doing another supremely weird recording session so I can teach you more about the stuff in your home ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109807880873624388) 2023-02-05T20:40:18Z ****
Saw one of those Lamborghini SUVs on the highway today, and man. That thing is pretty bland.

Why is anyone buying that? It's not even a remotely rational way to irrationally spend a quarter of a million dollars.

(content note: I am not actually asking) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109814062683895147) 2023-02-06T00:03:47Z ****
Ever look at zipper pulls?

iykykykk ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109814862810683633) 2023-02-07T15:28:15Z ****
A big part of why everything is \*gestures broadly\* is that there's a machine out there getting people worked up over outright nonsense. You don't need truth for a narrative!

And those of us who can see through it are all in our own little corners advocating for our own particular things in our own particular ways, unwilling to come together with our own big-picture narratives.

A coherent, unified, truly persuasive message is needed - and you will have to compromise to get there. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109824160236128313) 2023-02-07T15:24:34Z ****
Y'all, I'm telling you this from the bottom of my heart, you gotta stop pretending that bringing information to light will make a conclusion self-evident.

Even if it does, it may not be the conclusion you made yourself. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109824145803465946) 2023-02-09T13:50:30Z ****
In a development that will surely surprise nobody, the quick topic I decided to tackle while I polish a different script spiraled into a 22 minute video.

However... I think I'm pretty happy with this one.

Coming soon ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109835100533910996) 2023-02-10T21:35:19Z ****
I started playing with my water heater. In doing so, I discovered there's a lot more going on with them than I realized.

New video!

[https://youtu.be/Bm7L-2J52GU](https://youtu.be/Bm7L-2J52GU) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109842590574707157) 2023-02-16T13:58:24Z ****
Welp. I did it.

I had Heinz beans on toast for breakfast.

Probably not gonna make it a routine or anything, but I get it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109874767784531628) 2023-02-20T19:06:39Z ****
I still cannot get over how people equate extracting resources to build a thing which will let us do something for decades to come with extracting resources which we promptly set on fire so we can do something for a moment. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109898629079011037) 2023-02-20T19:10:11Z ****
Like, this seems so forking obvious. You don't even need to "believe" in climate change to realize how much stupider it is to keep the status quo up.

It's only seen as "easy" because it's familiar. Interrogate it just the teeny tiniest bit and maybe you'll find the absurdity. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109898642980605319) 2023-02-22T19:04:11Z ****
Now the humidifier runs during a fan call, too.

Changed the thermostat settings to call for fan with heat, then added a fan schedule to ensure it runs at least 25% of the time during waking hours.

Finally I can get consistent humidity and the humidistat actually means something. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109909944019673851) 2023-02-22T19:02:56Z ****
Example eleventy-twelve of why knowing how the stuff in your life works is worth it:

My new home has an evaporative humidifier in the HVAC system. It has its own humidistat but only runs in a heat call.

Because this home is built to recent codes, the heat only runs for between 1 to 2 hours on mild days - meaning the humidifier just isn't doing much! Often I can barely get to 40% RH if I'm lucky.

So... I moved the humidifier's wire from the R terminal to the G terminal! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109909939081805402) 2023-03-01T20:20:27Z ****
Birdsite, politics

* * *

Hoooooo boy, went over there just to look around and my congressional rep (Sean Casten) gets nothing but the most putrid replies on his posts.

It's been that way for a while, but holy shit there's effectively NOBODY with anything positive to say, and the few who are there get drowned out.

Some of the most up-voted comments say stuff like "you are the reason I'm ashamed to be from Illinois" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109949880093889060) 2023-03-01T20:21:57Z ****
Birdsite, politics

* * *

The main reason I like Casten and I'll keep voting for him is that he thinks climate change is a thing and is working on policies to actually do stuff about it.

Relatedly, the first part of my video on home electrification is finally shot. I'm not dead! Just had a rough month. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109949885956597691) 2023-03-02T22:42:41Z ****
Anybody else experiencing Gmail somehow not filtering all those "Dear client, at CVS..." phishing emails?

It's getting pretty ridiculous in my inbox lately. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109956101671586742) 2023-03-03T04:04:43Z ****
So I've heard of cyanobacteria, but when are they going to get to yellowobacteria, magentaobacteria, and keyobacteria? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109957367971760826) 2023-03-05T17:10:08Z ****
i made this

Home Electrification: There's not a lot to do, and it doesn't have to be hard (Part 1)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVLLNjSLJTQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVLLNjSLJTQ) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109971780969374989) 2023-03-05T17:53:00Z ****
lol, the "oil is good actually" people are so desperate that they're apparently going to fixate on the gearbox oil in a wind turbine as evidence they're not "actually green" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109971949510289635) 2023-03-05T18:24:59Z ****
One of the sadder realities of today is that there's probably a lot of people watching my latest video thinking I'm some member of a globalist cabal or something since I want to, y'know, stop burning fossil fuels. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109972075293938624) 2023-03-05T22:16:57Z ****
New policy from me: any comment that says "electricity is made with coal" is just getting removed.

It's not even remotely correct anymore. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109972987409856203) 2023-03-06T00:35:36Z ****
So, if you didn't know, I released a follow-up on Connextras where I expressed my concerns about rooftop solar and how it's tricky to make that fair:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4cNnVK412U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4cNnVK412U)

I'm getting a lot of people seemingly arguing with me while agreeing with me, and I can't quite figure this out.

My point was basically that "this is really complicated and I'm not confident we're doing this right or, honestly, can do it equitably at all" and some folks are pus ... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109973532621152928) 2023-03-06T00:38:07Z ****
That kind of \*is\* my point. It feels frankly pretty gross to me to essentially say "wealthy homeowners can buy their way out of higher power bills" but the catch 22 is that if you don't offer at least some decent chunk of cash, nobody would do this.

It's, as I said many a time, thorny. And that's why I'm not gung-ho on it, which I imagine might surprise some folks.

I just have a hard time seeing how to make it not perpetuate inequality, and over-incentivizing could harm the grid. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109973542517317228) 2023-03-06T01:05:36Z ****
This comment, right here. I feel kind of bad for leading this person to this thought, but it's a conversation we need to have. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109973650579506121) 2023-03-06T01:09:41Z ****
And since I haven't brought it up here, even thornier is that \*this only really works for single-family homes.\*

Maybe townhomes, too, but as soon as you're up to anything approaching mid-rise apartment density... rooftop solar couldn't cut if even with batteries.

I hate to be kinda gloomy on this, but I'm a lot less excited about rooftop solar than I was just a few years ago. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109973666603316324) 2023-03-06T23:58:34Z ****
If railroads were managed by smart people who could see a few more quarters down the line, they'd maybe even be able to profit from offering transmission services to the grid.

In addition to, y'know, greatly reducing their operating costs in the long-run.

Hell, if they wanted to go really nuts, they could even put solar arrays on top of the catenary. Like a snow shed, but better. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109979049273079867) 2023-03-06T23:55:40Z ****
Hot take: we need to force the Class 1 railroads in the US to electrify their mainlines, and in so doing they can add electrical transmission to the towers that carry the catenary. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109979037925271772) 2023-03-07T00:31:44Z ****
OK, you got me, what happens if there's a derailment is a good point.

Still think we could do some solar snow-sheds, though ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109979179702074121) 2023-03-07T18:02:53Z ****
Hot take: people on the right understand the value that "likes" have in creating the perception of consensus and as a group are always willing to amplify thoughts they agree with in that way. I would go so far as to call this a deliberate strategy, and one that more reasonable voices need to acknowledge and, quite possibly, combat.

Very happy that likes are not shown by default here. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109983312979750628) 2023-03-08T16:27:06Z ****
In the interest of science and community, let me break this down for you:

Heat pumps are the most efficient way to heat a building. Period. They move energy from one place to another at a rate four times what they consume, sometimes more. Many of them can move heat in both directions, meaning they can also provide cooling. That's a fun little bonus which you may or may not choose to use, but I will say that given long-term implications of climate change, you might want that handy. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109988598661350027) 2023-03-08T16:25:23Z ****
Here's a fun observation:

I've run into several European Mastodon folks who lead me to believe an interesting barrier to adoption of heat pumps over there will be previously long-held beliefs that air conditioning is a horribly wasteful American thing, and getting a heat pump is a slippery slope to making air conditioning mainstream ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/109988591898761570) 2023-03-10T17:31:08Z ****
Here's a new one:

Desktop is being wonky. So I go to reboot it. It's locked up in the "shutting down" state so I force a reboot.

Comes back up and it's being absurdly slow. Desktop icons appear than disappear. So I force a shutdown. Then I notice... it's not completely off! Something's still making noise in there. Don't know if it's a hard drive or the power supply fan or what.

Killed power to shut whatever that was off, and now we're back in business. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110000175079771852) 2023-03-10T17:44:18Z ****
\*sigh\* so it's still very much here, too.

Look, I really dislike computers, and you're right that for the most part I don't do that much tinkering with them.

But rest assured I know what I'm saying when I say "forced a shutdown." This PC even has a dedicated reset button! Hence "forced a reboot" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110000226870900810) 2023-03-10T18:16:36Z ****
Listen up all you foolish mortals:

Someone talking about a weird thing their computer did is not a cry for help. \*Especially\* when said someone clearly said they solved the problem.

I understand this particular platform is very-much filled with computer nerds who want to be helpful, but please check whether help is being requested before you pop out of the woodwork like some sort of Clippy ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110000353844245453) 2023-03-10T18:17:47Z ****
Much of the rest of the world would call this mansplaining, and it's generally frowned upon.

I will re-up my commitment to not talk about computers because it's exhausting. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110000358507311048) 2023-03-11T21:28:35Z ****
Alrighty, my car is now powering my fridge, freezer, modem/router (which happens to be a very power-hungry Starlink modem) and laptop.

I will leave this setup in place for 24 hours and will also use the car's power supply to cook meals during this time.

I want to know exactly how long the Vehicle to Load\* function can realistically keep me going through a power outage. I predict close to a week, but soon I'll know for sure!

\*This V2L function/adapter is unique to Hyundai/Kia E-GMP cars ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110006771087655067) 2023-03-12T04:11:19Z ****
And for all the mega nerds out there, I used my silly scope to take a peek at the sine wave.

It looks really good! There's a bit of wonkiness at the zero crossings, but I can't rule out noise from everything running on it. At the time of these captures, I was charging a phone, the fridge was running, plus the modem is on and all that.

Still a very clean sine no matter how you slice it! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110008354679125629) 2023-03-12T15:55:54Z ****
I still have 5 hours left on the test, but I can report that unfortunately standby losses are bigger than I'd like. I've only pulled about 4 kWh out of the car, but the battery state of charge has fallen by 9%. That means almost 3 kWh was lost keeping the car's systems awake.

Still, though, it's looking like I'll only lose 12-13% of the pack per 24 hours keeping basic necessities working, so it could get me through a (unheard of for me) five-day power outage with room to spare. Not bad! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110011125212014025) 2023-03-12T17:17:34Z ****
A short thread about DST which some people probably will not like but I feel like needs to be said:

So, the clocks right? What do we use them for? Well, we coordinate our schedules around them. Time as we use it now is an entirely human concept, and clocks are just a way to make sure we're all on the same page.

Clocks don't give a crap about what the sun is doing. We all know this. Sunrise, sunset, and the length of the day all move around with respect to our made-up human clocks. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110011446360350613) 2023-03-12T17:22:20Z ****
Many people would prefer that our made-up human schedules facilitated by our made-up human clocks play nicely with what the sun does throughout the year.

In the summer months, the sun comes up really freaking early; there's a lot of daylight and not a lot of night.

To make that work better with our sleeping schedules we follow thanks to our made-up human schedules facilitated by made-up human clocks, some people might decide to go to work an hour later and come home an hour earlier. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110011465101229672) 2023-03-12T17:27:19Z ****
This has the exact same effect of every business, school, government office, etc. saying "starting tomorrow, we're open from 8 to 4"

It would literally be no different. You would still need to be up an hour earlier whenever that change was made. And you could sleep in an hour more when it changed back.

People get hung up on the fact that we're changing what the clock says, but it's the only sure-fire way to get everyone to do this at the same time. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110011484730397789) 2023-03-12T17:24:51Z ****
Now the problem here is that unless everyone agrees to do this at the same time, we're gonna have a real cluster on our hands. Suddenly the UPS store isn't open when you need it to be to send that package! Or maybe your bank isn't open and you /really/ need it to be.

So instead, we change the clocks.

That's it, folks.

We're all just changing our schedules by one hour in a coordinated fashion. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110011474988370919) 2023-03-12T17:35:25Z ****
And a post script:

I'm sure people will talk about the documented increase in accidents that happen with the time change, but personally I think this is the result of compounding the risks that every individual person always experiences from disorientation caused by a one-hour schedule change. So I'm not sure it's fair to call that causal.

Anyway, that's my piece. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110011516582478795) 2023-03-12T17:32:08Z ****
So, love it or hate it, that's all we're doing. We're forcing everyone's schedules to move by one hour without actually changing their schedules.

Don't overthink it.

And as someone who is definitely not a morning person, I would indeed absolutely hate it if winter sunrises happened at 8:30 as they would if we stuck with DST. That's why the last experiment to do it failed. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110011503614165883) 2023-03-13T03:36:07Z ****
Test is over. Results are in! A video is made! And you may watch it if that's your jam.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO5fJ8z66Z8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO5fJ8z66Z8)

Indeed, we landed on 12% for 24 hours of backup power. So I'm very confident in the car providing a generous reserve of power in emergencies. Neat! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110013878607950686) 2023-03-14T17:40:32Z ****
I was just reminded of that robot ol' Tesla says will change the world.

Has there been any recent news on that front? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110022861259071050) 2023-03-19T23:25:44Z ****
If there are any software engineers at Microsoft listening, I would love it ever so much if you could push an update someday where the "Keep Changes / Revert" dialogue when changing display resolutions changes the second option to "Revert Back" just to annoy the shit of out a particular kind of pedant. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110052530237890326) 2023-03-21T16:37:53Z ****
In a world that Makes Sense, that query would have resulted in Seagate and WD's current product lineups, with other makes and older options down below.

They even have that thing where you click on the "passport" model or whatever and you pick from all the capacities on one product page!

But no, they'll gladly take money from scammy people that want to promote their tat. What a lovely crossroads we're at. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110062251143709323) 2023-03-21T16:32:39Z ****
lololol, need more cold storage hard drive space and a search for "portable hard drive" on Amazon led to the first result, a \*sponsored\* result, being an obvious scam.

5TB USB-C SSD for $79! Totally legit!

I think at this stage, you cross a point where you're Too Big to Care, and Amazon is obviously there. Gross. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110062230517356387) 2023-03-23T13:28:37Z ****
So. A scammer hijacks a YouTube channel. Said scammer determines "ah, the best way to find marks for this scam is to turn the channel into 'Tesla' and edit together clips of Elon saying stuff"

I don't know what exactly this says about the cult of personality surrounding That Man and That Brand, but it sure says something! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110072831535257082) 2023-03-23T13:44:40Z ****
Apparently this has been going on for a while...

I mean, it's not like I would expect Elon to say anything because if he has a personal credo it's probably Caveat Emptor, but ffs man. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110072894607288467) 2023-03-24T13:09:49Z ****
hey everbody

i made a new video. it's about how stereo sound works on vinyl records.

please provide me with positive reinforcement for holding back on chastising the youngins for continuing to call records "vinyls"

also please never ever do that you heathens

anyway, here's the linky-dink (i'm giving you, like, 10 minutes early access!)

[https://youtu.be/3DdUvoc7tJ4](https://youtu.be/3DdUvoc7tJ4) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110078419899038932) 2023-03-24T23:34:44Z ****
A disgruntled guest is having a bad time at the bird sanctuary, so they asked to speak to the tanager. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110080877148613525) 2023-03-28T02:24:56Z ****
I accidentally left my dessert out all night, and what I found in the morning was really off-pudding. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110098533342525700) 2023-03-28T16:08:36Z ****
In the span of about 20 seconds, my cat noticed a housefly, locked eyes on it, followed it into the other room, trapped it with his paws, then ate it.

I'm impressed! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110101772124113174) 2023-03-28T22:51:20Z ****
Fun fact! The average train has hundreds of ferrous wheels. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110103355759239297) 2023-03-30T14:55:53Z ****
Part two is done! Here's a link

[https://youtu.be/zheQKmAT\_a0](https://youtu.be/zheQKmAT_a0) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110112810812777524) 2023-03-30T16:34:55Z ****
I think this is right at the crux on why unsolicited advice is so annoying to me and many other folks. Yes, I didn't specifically say I was aware of tandem breakers, but the one that I added myself is \*clearly\* visible.

But people are so eager to share their knowledge they won't bothering stopping to ask if that's necessary.

It's genuinely hard to balance the notion of "just trying to be helpful" with "getting the same info over and over again on the presumption of ignorance is exhausting" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110113200247127199) 2023-03-30T16:30:50Z ****
The number of comments that are saying "you should look into tandem breakers" without noticing the tandem breaker that's already in the panel are amusing me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110113184196234853) 2023-03-31T22:13:00Z ****
Hello, this is the marketing department.

For your consideration:

"Mastodon's a Blastodon"

Could be big. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110120191933022390) 2023-04-08T15:49:58Z ****
Hi! I put together a rather long video in which I go over the first 14 months with my Hyundai Ioniq 5

Overall it's been extremely good, and the car has not required repair. Except for a teeny bit of bodywork... which revealed that the autobody industry is dragging their feet with EVs.

[https://youtu.be/itAMIIBnZ-8](https://youtu.be/itAMIIBnZ-8) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110163984276385371) 2023-04-24T17:27:49Z ****
hey everbody

i made video

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsNHrAzx5\_w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsNHrAzx5_w) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110254965994085562) 2023-04-25T00:21:03Z ****
One of the reasons Trader Joe's is successful is that they limit choices.

Do you really need to have two dozen varieties of peanut butter? Probably not. So they just stock a few. Gets people in-and-out very quickly, makes the stores smaller, and it's a very enjoyable experience for many despite being objectively quite limited.

Choice-overload is a real thing, and I think those steering this ship need to sit with that for a while. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110256590903499623) 2023-04-25T00:19:01Z ****
One thing I'm noticing here on Mastodon (mostly through observing experience of others, to be fair) is that there seems to be a point at which catering to people with, let's call it, overly-particular needs seems to embolden those people to foist those needs onto others and it devolves into a mess of opinions real fast. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110256582935121985) 2023-04-25T19:27:52Z ****
So I'm noticing that the YouTube comment counter often shows zero now when things are just released.

My guess is that this is to combat the comment spam, and maybe those bots were so simple that they were just looking for a rapid rate of change in total comments then got to work duplicating and whatnot.

Frankly, I wasn't monitoring comments that closely yesterday, so I don't know for sure that there weren't many bot comments, but it did seem less than usual. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110261100350039197) 2023-04-27T12:42:10Z ****
Currently, the Bolt is a phenomenally cheap electric car. Bang-for-the-buck it's unmatched! And people are, I think rightfully, upset that we'll be losing such an affordable option.

But there's a logical reason for its affordability: its underpinnings are from 2016.

Is that bad? Not necessarily. But the car is flat out BAD at DC-fast charging.

The Bolt is a car that I could only recommend if you have charging at-home and are content with never taking on a road trip. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110270829710219278) 2023-04-27T12:39:26Z ****
🧵

So, GM is killing the Chevy Bolt later this year. A lotta folks are upset about that, but as someone who knows a lot about the car and how it fits into the broader EV landscape, I'm not actually too bothered by this news.

There's a /different/ bit of news from GM that I'm much more upset about but honestly the Bolt's time has come. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110270818997787174) 2023-04-27T12:46:30Z ****
This is the Achilles heel of the car that the broader public is probably unaware of.

Its long range is let down by the fact that you pretty much need - at minimum - a 45 minute charging session after every couple of hours of driving.

Some folks are gonna be OK with that, but many aren't. And honestly, a Bolt taking up a precious fast-charging stall for an hour is a meme in electric car circles. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110270846743717642) 2023-04-27T12:57:25Z ****
If you'd like a real reason to be mad a GM, well of course there's a smorgasbord of entrees to choose from, but their decision to drop Apple CarPlay / Android Auto from future EV offerings is really quite bad.

If they don't let up from that, I won't be recommending their products.

Fin ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110270889674767763) 2023-04-27T12:54:22Z ****
The tech in the Bolt simply cannot work for the mass market.

It's a fantastic runabout, and can even work with pretty extreme commutes!

But if you can't charge at home or work, it's a real pain in the ass to live with. In that way, it's a lot like last-gen tech. Great for a specific group of people, but not great for many others. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110270877681614604) 2023-04-27T12:51:21Z ****
Could the Bolt be refreshed with a better and faster battery pack? I mean, probably! But it's still a very compact car that is, like it or not, unpopular in this market.

I didn't consider one for myself because it's frankly too small for me. And the 800V architecture of the E-GMP cars from Hyunda/Kia was just too tempting to pass up.

Anyway, the Ultium platform that GM's rolling out is a much more capable platform, and it makes complete sense for them to abandon the Bolt's underpinnings. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110270865819711108) 2023-04-27T13:52:35Z ****
You plug your phone in (or even connect wirelessly now) and your car hands over the screen (or some portion of it) to your phone.

Your phone is sending an audio and video feed to that screen, and the car will send touch inputs (and some other data) back to the phone.

This has been a thing for a long while now, and a really neat thing is that my folk's 2017 Bolt has infotainment from 2023 when I plug my phone into it.

It's a fantastic idea, and dropping it is bonkers and/or nefarious. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110271106628175484) 2023-04-27T13:50:11Z ****
Wow, OK, so I guess a lot of folks don't know what Android Auto / CarPlay do and why it's bonkers that GM is dropping it. So, quick explainer:

Car companies generally suck at making software. Everyone complains at how buggy their infotainment screens are, and getting updates for maps etc. is an awful experience.

So, why not just provide a way for your always-up-to-date phone to take over the car's infotainment screen - leaving the software to the people who are good at software?

It's that. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110271097144452835) 2023-04-28T21:24:04Z ****
If you're near an IKEA, this is a very interesting scented candle they have now.

It smells like a smoldering fire, but not in any irritating way. Usually I'm quite sensitive to floral scents (get headaches), but this isn't bothering me at all.

And for EPCOT fans, it's kind of adjacent to the Rome burning scene in Spaceship Earth. Not quite the same, but close! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110278544252311591) 2023-04-29T00:43:32Z ****
For funsies (and frankly because I wanted to know what would happen if, say, there were a brief power interruption) I unplugged my chest freezer while running, then plugged it right back in.

The kill-a-watt showed it pulled ~750 watts with the compressor locked. Normally it pulls 60-70.

After about 7 seconds, something clicked and the power draw dropped to zero. Then, three or so minutes later, another click and the compressor successfully started up.

So. That's what it does! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110279328532404753) 2023-04-29T00:45:23Z ****
For context, when there's a high pressure differential in the refrigeration system, the starting torque of the compressor motor isn't enough to overcome that and the compressor locks up.

That's bad because a locked rotor draws a lot of power, and gets very hot. So it's nice to know there is protection somewhere to recognize this is occurring, and kill power long enough for refrigerant pressures to equalize so it can start back up. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110279335831031640) 2023-05-08T00:57:51Z ****
I was at a barbecue restaurant and the food was very messy, so I asked the server if they had something to clean my hands with and they offered me a damp baby owl? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110330345629092210) 2023-05-09T12:40:47Z ****
hi.

do you have an uncle who won't shut up about how VHS didn't deserve to win against Beta? does this uncle cite all sorts of reasons for his opinion? is one of them beta's use in the pro-market?

please send this to your uncle

it's a new video

[https://youtu.be/hGVVAQVdEOs](https://youtu.be/hGVVAQVdEOs) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110338772018224383) 2023-05-09T22:20:57Z ****
I don't normally like being Mr. Grumpy old man, but it is currently 68° (20°C) and just about perfect outside, yet I hear a bunch of air conditioners running.

Consider opening yer dang windows, people! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110341053290281150) 2023-05-09T22:35:38Z ****
The thing is, I know what's going on, here. Sure, some people want to keep their windows shut for allergy reasons, but it got pretty hot a few days ago so people switched their thermostats to cooling mode and simply stopped thinking about the weather.

It got to about 73° in here from insolation before I opened up windows, so some ACs would definitely be kicking on by now if people did the ol' set and forget ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110341111031972528) 2023-05-09T22:40:03Z ****
And THEN. Then there's those people who live such decadent lives as to put their thermostat in "auto" mode

This Midwesterner finds that lifestyle so foreign ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110341128400018121) 2023-05-10T03:14:32Z ****
I never noticed any comment spam today - and the weird comment count behavior is still in place.

I think this is all it took to kill those bots, folks. Only periodically update the public comment counter so those bots can't pick out videos to attack. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110342207751580263) 2023-05-21T22:22:25Z ****
Plugged my car into an EVgo station, and it's so cool to finally be able to see volts and amps! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110409006798155327) 2023-05-22T19:47:25Z ****
Oh boy do I intensely dislike how file names are numbered by a GoPro! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110414059638244041) 2023-05-22T19:57:01Z ****
So here's what two sessions from one camera looks like in a folder.

You can sort by date and get them in the correct order, but it still hurts to look at.

(The files that END in 7 are from one session, and that END in 8 are from the next. The first number is which file it is within the sequence, which feels HORRIBLY BACKWARDS) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110414097360499381) 2023-05-24T16:10:15Z ****
While perusing the page for HUSS Maschinenfabrik (who made a bunch of rides around the park) I see a model of ride called Rainbow. Which was offered in a covered wagon variant and "only two were built" - neither of which are said to be at Six Flags Great America.

However, after watching this video

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZX1SKbg-tQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZX1SKbg-tQ)

the sounds are really, realllllly familiar and those were \*definitely\* the restraints I remember.

Methinks it was actually an ... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110424530351067464) 2023-05-24T16:07:14Z ****
A short pointless story:

I remember that my local six flags used to have this bizarre ride where you were in a covered wagon that went real high up in the air (y'know, like Conestoga were known to do) and I was trying to remember what it was.

Wikipedia says it was called Traiblazer (which seems right) and that the model of ride was a Zamperla Joker, but when I looked for examples of that ride model, nothing seemed right.

MEANWHILE ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110424518472053156) 2023-05-24T16:13:22Z ****
When you search "Zamperla Joker" hardly anything similar comes up, and what few things do feel way too small. Trailblazer went up quite high up - luckily I found a picture on a forum.

[https://themeparkreview.com/forum/uploads/monthly\_2010\_08/1901538201\_TrailBlazer.jpg.41ed34aa86b740839a343efbac2b5b11.jpg](https://themeparkreview.com/forum/uploads/monthly_2010_08/1901538201_TrailBlazer.jpg.41ed34aa86b740839a343efbac2b5b11.jpg)

Anyway, I've apparently uncovered some deep theme park lore and either Zamperla manufa ... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110424542556354751) 2023-05-25T13:35:05Z ****
New video comin' out soon.

I'm torn between two titles: I'm discussing a problem which is made obvious by electric cars, and I spend a lot of time discussing the specifics of the problem.

However, the problem affects pretty much all new cars these days - electric or not.

Should I stick with "Electric cars prove..." in the title for the clicks, or is it better to go with "New cars prove..." ?

"Electric"

"New" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110429582471613916) 2023-05-25T13:40:25Z ****
I've edited the question - I supposed there's no point in being spoily since I'll probably hit publish within the hour, but understand that more than anything I need people to click on the video and not just for selfish reasons - my ultimate goal is for this to lead to somebody hopefully writing a regulation, and I need maximum awareness for that to occur. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110429603433231186) 2023-05-25T14:47:19Z ****
OK, I've settled on electric. Linky-dink incoming! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110429866512756339) 2023-05-25T14:48:44Z ****
Some automakers have design that aren't very bright - here's a new video discussing a new issue facing us, and why we very much need a regulation to tackle it:

[https://youtu.be/U0YW7x9U5TQ](https://youtu.be/U0YW7x9U5TQ) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110429872122053732) 2023-05-25T15:35:50Z ****
Well, it worked... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110430057313702982) 2023-05-25T22:55:12Z ****
The relevant news:

[https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/05/ford-evs-will-get-access-to-teslas-supercharger-network-in-2024/](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/05/ford-evs-will-get-access-to-teslas-supercharger-network-in-2024/) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110431784978721461) 2023-05-25T22:54:19Z ****
Why yes, I did just pin comments on the two videos where I said "this is the connector that every automaker but Tesla uses" because of Ford's announcement.

Obviously, I'm not exactly happy with Ford, here. But I also completely get it - CCS networks are patchy and suck.

Still, if Ford wants the industry to move to "a single plug standard" I'm not sure this was the right call. Only time will tell. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110431781491215996) 2023-06-05T04:11:33Z ****
The problem with the modern understanding of the phrase "don't let perfect be the enemy of the good" is that it leads to people agonizing over the optimal amount of effort to spend on optimization. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110489651976891266) 2023-06-05T16:41:59Z ****
I wish the world could get as excited about heat pumps as they are when the fruit company has announcements about new stuff ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110492602819440056) 2023-06-05T17:33:18Z ****
BTW, I don't wish to yuck on your yums if this is a thing that excites you.

I'm just very, very on the side of "until your computer/phone/whatever is getting in the way of what you do, you almost certainly don't need a new one."

I'm very jaded by events/announcements/the like that drum up hype to convince you otherwise. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110492804629097481) 2023-06-06T21:52:46Z ****
I mean, I didn't know that was a thing but congrats I guess ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110499487174710549) 2023-06-08T18:11:33Z ****
I've been keeping a (very small) secret for nearly a year! I am going to assert that I was deputy mayor.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CJZ5BwpuRk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CJZ5BwpuRk) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110509941918474836) 2023-06-09T01:10:18Z ****
Realizing I don't have a perfect handle on how Trek-universe artificial gravity functions, it just occurred to me that incidents involving turbolifts falling down the shaft seem... silly ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110511588536696944) 2023-06-09T16:25:16Z ****
The history of digital sound has a curveball in it I didn't expect - years before the CD existed, you could buy a digital audio recorder and make your own digital recordings at home!

If, that is, you also had a VCR.

New video!

[https://youtu.be/xSnrQBfBCzY](https://youtu.be/xSnrQBfBCzY) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110515186365059250) 2023-06-09T20:13:52Z ****
To answer the bajillion people looking for my thoughts:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjny4u5THpU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjny4u5THpU) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110516085223890924) 2023-06-10T18:58:28Z ****
Hi everyone! A long-time patron of mine has just launched a new channel on YouTube and is looking to get it a little higher off the ground.

If engineering/maker-type content is your jam, consider checking it out!

[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH2nSh9hrdWMLxYe991vKrA](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH2nSh9hrdWMLxYe991vKrA) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110521451025530786) 2023-06-12T15:29:05Z ****
Two friends, Mark and Jennifer, are exploring a desert. They run across a large sand formation and decide to set up camp at its peak. Jennifer took the North side, and to the South was the Mark side of the dune. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110531952374608578) 2023-06-13T18:58:20Z ****
Yes, I'm familiar with the hundred acre wood where Christopher Robin plays, but why would I want to deepen it? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110538437468903594) 2023-06-16T19:50:16Z ****
I never tooted about this but Consumer Reports picked up on my video and made a more professional stink about my car's brake lights!

[https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-safety/brake-lights-can-fail-to-provide-fair-warning-on-some-evs-a9533519285/](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-safety/brake-lights-can-fail-to-provide-fair-warning-on-some-evs-a9533519285/)

And now! Hyundai just announced they will do a "field service campaign" to fix the issue starting in July. Yay! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110555628619282227) 2023-06-17T17:32:41Z ****
Alex on Autos referred to the Toyota bZ4X as the "busy forks" and now, quite happily, I exclusively call it that!

You should, too ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110560749941966794) 2023-06-20T23:35:25Z ****
Constantly. Constantly! This was an argument in the comments on my video on amber turn signals.

We focus so much on our individual perceptions and abilities that we won't even see the need to help \*other people\* not \*hurt us\* because... we'll just smugly blame them I guess? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110579163136696360) 2023-06-20T23:33:31Z ****
It's interesting reading comments of the Hyundai brake light issue.

A lot of people seem to think "this isn't a big deal" but, once again, their reason is that "you should just be paying attention"

Why is it so damn hard to get people to realize that OTHER DRIVERS ARE NOT YOU and that YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW WELL THEY MIGHT BE PAYING ATTENTION? ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110579155727300544) 2023-06-23T18:43:17Z ****
I've given up trying to figure out what slows down video renders.

Today, Media Encoder is struggling most with... still .pngs.

Blasting through 4K h.264 footage no problem, about twice real-time in fact, but a motionless graph? Yeah that's gonna go at about 5 FPS today. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110595001365338081) 2023-06-23T18:45:11Z ****
The best part is that PREMIERE MADE THESE DANG PNGS

They are all captured frames from the timeline.

🙃 ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110595008836806497) 2023-06-23T20:32:36Z ****
Also, beware the "just"

In my position, "just give Adobe the damn 60 bucks a month" is a completely reasonable "just."

We may very well disagree on that for one reason or another, but I spend my time writing scripts and actually editing videos. Time away from that task (i.e. learning a new software suite) costs me more, and besides I just don't want to. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110595431245975704) 2023-06-23T20:29:46Z ****
I know I shouldn't be surprised by the reaction here of all places, but my word.

You know, if your computer is doing some background task and it's being kind of slow, you have the option to walk away from it and do other things.

It's yet another discrepancy on how we value time. My computer rendering the video is like my dishwasher washing dishes. Not time I'm spending, and toots about puzzling or humourous behavior ain't a cry for help ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110595420118134169) 2023-06-26T14:34:16Z ****
Are you ready? There's a new video out today and it's a doozy.

Watch as I lose my mind over a silly little fridge.

[https://youtu.be/8PTjPzw9VhY](https://youtu.be/8PTjPzw9VhY) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110611009157329620) 2023-06-27T02:26:23Z ****
Only thing I can figure is that somebody tagged me in one of these posts, edited it to remove the tag, but the effect of the tagging is still in place.

Or possibly this is something other than Mastodon, and Mastodon is parsing this weirdly.

Whatever it is... not great. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110613809321775205) 2023-06-27T02:25:10Z ****
Soooo.... here's a fun Fedi thing which is bad.

I've been getting notifications about this conversation since it started and I have no idea why.

Several people are talking about me, but seemingly nobody knows I can see this. I replied to somebody who was outlining why they don't watch my videos anymore (which - fine, but I felt they misunderstood my intention and wanted to clarify) and that caught them off guard. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110613804504504577) 2023-06-30T22:19:20Z ****
Made it to the Great Northern ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110635487085784033) 2023-06-30T22:32:37Z ****
Also, I cropped that original photo. Here's the wider view showing the bottom of the falls ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110635539344597827) 2023-06-30T22:21:29Z ****
Context

* * *

This is the Salish Lodge on Snoqualmie Falls in Snoqualmie, Washington.

It was used for exterior establishing shots of "The Great Northern" hotel in the television series Twin Peaks. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110635495556738069) 2023-07-01T15:41:25Z ****
On this trip we've rented a Toyota Highlander, and my mom and dad have the closely-relayed Toyota Sienna.

I gotta say, if you're not looking at the minivan for whatever silly reason you think you might have, you're making a mistake. It is astonishing how much tighter and confined it feels in the Highlander when it's nearly the same size.

Minivans are simply packaging heroes and y'all need to get over it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110639584735455607) 2023-07-04T00:16:20Z ****
Lots of people here seem to want this place to be like some version of a shopping mall - a place we can hang out together, but with little niches everywhere.

I think this is a pretty good idea, but I feel like it's worth remembering that most shopping malls without large anchor stores quickly die - because then it's just another strip mall. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110652934092605507) 2023-07-04T21:11:24Z ****
Update on the little red fridge:

Firstly, I cannot believe the video did that well. Hour-long videos definitely aren't gonna be the new norm for me, but let that be a lesson to those afraid of making long videos.

I intended on making a Connextras follow-up to go over the results of my new sensor placement (which look promising) and address a number of questions/concerns that kept coming up and I didn't think to answer. Such as... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110657869231872369) 2023-07-04T21:18:01Z ****
But, the follow-up probably won't happen for a while. I'm hoping to make a quick main-channel video before I head to Open Sauce which is sneaking up real soon. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110657895216516572) 2023-07-04T21:15:31Z ****
"are you sure it wasn't cycling off to protect the compressor?" - yes, the thermostat was satisfying which is obvious due to the sound it makes

"you need to re-do the fan test with the power source outside the fridge" - I will, though to be honest I am highly doubtful that added a meaningful amount of heat

"the fans should only run when the compressor runs" - I will also try that

I'll also go over other fridges I've encountered because, truly, I don't think its design is common at all here ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110657885428170560) 2023-07-04T21:23:58Z ****
Anyway, it turns out the new temperature controller was bang-on accurate, and that it only looked skewed higher because I taped it against the wall.

I now have it in a central location lower down, set to 35° with a 3° differential. That seems just about ideal, but I want to know more about how it handles warm things getting put in different places. I don't expect it to be a big deal since it takes so long to chill things, but stuff closer to the evap could potentially freeze with a long cycle ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110657918608134187) 2023-07-06T16:51:43Z ****
Like, yeah, you can go too far. Put a huge hot dish in there and it'll be overwhelmed.

But... putting warm things in the fridge to chill is a thing I imagine nearly everyone does from time to time here, and recipes assume your fridge is up to it. Hell, even just, like, Jell-O assumes that's gonna be A-OK.

It's been humorous discovering this apparent continental fridge difference! We like our fridges cold, fast, and uniform. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110668172743097627) 2023-07-06T16:48:20Z ****
So, I just made some fudge from a recipe that says to chill it once poured into a greased pan.

Given feedback on the fridge video... do y'all just never ever do that in Europe? Because, yeah, the little red fridge would not handle that well at all but I got a lot of folks being like "well, duh, you just don't put warm things in the fridge, everybody knows that" in the comments.

We don't know that because - get this - our fridges can usually just handle it! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110668159422621901) 2023-07-08T22:18:06Z ****
I understand the logic - this is in line with other units, and we say the word "dollar" after the number in speech.

But, dear reader, I was taught how currency works in school, and I am also surrounded by price tags both in stores and online listings, and am thus thoroughly bewildered by this.

That is all. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110680780764379787) 2023-07-08T22:15:49Z ****
Forgive this old man moment:

I am seeing the dollar sign get put at the end of a dollar figure ( ex: 200$ ) more and more frequently and it's really starting to get to me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110680771774812439) 2023-07-17T17:50:31Z ****
I'd like to see someone suss out the data on the number of pedestrian collisions that are occurring over time, but I can't find it easily.

Deaths are obviously going up, and I'm not arguing that a larger car isn't more dangerous to pedestrians and other road users (they most certainly are).

But... I'm almost certain pedestrian impacts have gone up, making you more likely to be hit in the first place. That's important and that matters to the discussion. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110730689320988698) 2023-07-17T17:47:05Z ****
The sudden reversal in reduction in pedestrian deaths coincides not only with increase in vehicle size, but the prevalence of the smartphone.

Anybody who drives and gives the remotest shit about being a safe driver will have noticed how many other folks are holding their phones and looking at them while driving 40+ miles per hour, and I really feel like this can't be dismissed as a factor. But seemingly nobody talks about this as meaningful. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110730675822735520) 2023-07-17T17:44:43Z ****
Y'know how I like nuance and am skeptical of simple narratives?

Well, I have a bugbear regarding the discussion on pedestrian fatalities in the US.

To start this thread, I'd like to think I have an unbiased perspective here. I don't drive a very large vehicle, I loathe the arms race in vehicle size, and I welcome all efforts to reduce car-dependence and make our streets safer for all.

But... every discussion I listen to on this topic is real handwavey on the impacts of distracted driving. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110730666558115607) 2023-07-17T17:53:25Z ****
That's what I really want to know.

Are people getting \*hit\* more often? I'm almost certain the answer is yes.

There are plenty of other things we're uniquely bad at, too - road design, licensing requirements, lack of regulations. So by no means am I saying that I feel smartphones are the primary issue here, and I also don't want to make this a personal responsibility thing.

But I'm really weirded out by how this one very much so personal responsibility aspect is just... completely ignored. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110730700769857547) 2023-07-23T16:22:45Z ****
Obviously, not everyone is so lucky. And since elections are handled at the county level in the US, it may not even be the same within the state.

But I would encourage you to look into this and take advantage of it if you can! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110764318070070073) 2023-07-23T16:20:38Z ****
If you live somewhere that offers no-questions-asked mail-in voting, and your election commission gives you the option to automatically get mail ballots with each election, I would highly recommend doing this.

Earlier in the year a ballot just showed up in the mail. It was for the very local elections like school board, parks commissioner, stuff like that.

I almost certainly wouldn't have realized the election was even happening, but having the ballot in-hand made sure I voted in it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110764309776302510) 2023-08-11T17:38:40Z ****
I'm ripping the band-aid off.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJOfyMCEzjQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJOfyMCEzjQ) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110872200533064826) 2023-08-12T02:52:56Z ****
Is there a name for the phenomenon where the general public won't stop mentioning a solution that they /imagine/ will be standard one day without knowing the details behind it?

That's a word salad but like, "plug type won't matter once wireless charging becomes the norm" is, uh, a sentiment few people who know much about electricity transmission and electric vehicles will agree with, yet it's repeated ad nauseum. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110874379948693218) 2023-08-12T15:32:33Z ****
By the way, it's a massive oversight to put the charge door on the driver's side. That presumes on-street charging will just... never happen.

And sure, there's hardly any of that in the US at present. But that'll probably change. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110877366918495488) 2023-08-12T15:24:48Z ****
I like how I specifically said in the video that the current charging infrastructure landscape is weird and that we shouldn't look to it as setting a norm, and yet I am still getting bombarded by Tesla apologists who think all automakers need to put the charge port where Tesla does to be compatible with their weird chargers with dinky cables. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110877336424958168) 2023-08-12T16:14:21Z ****
Also.

It's apparently impossible for people to take information in before barfing their thoughts out.

Lots of people saying "NACS is a tragedy because it doesn't support three-phase" when, y'know, I'm pretty sure I spent some time talking about how we just flat out don't have three-phase power in homes.

Ugh.

Anyway, I'll shut up. Overall, the response has been much better than I figured. I was very worried about how this video would be received! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110877531263538393) 2023-08-14T16:48:20Z ****
Taunt a German butcher by saying "Do your wurst!" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110888989548774093) 2023-08-14T21:48:37Z ****
Suddenly I'm wondering something.

I call disposable plastic grocery bags "Jewel bags" after the Chicagoland grocery store chain. I don't even shop there all that much these days, but any such bag is still a "Jewel bag" in my head.

Anybody else do this? Like, not Jewel specifically but your local store chain?

(Oh and, fun fact, an industry term for that kind of bag is T-shirt bag, despite it resembling a tank top if anything) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110890170305003445) 2023-08-14T21:54:53Z ****
This post absolutely brought to you by

"I ran into Jewel for the first time in a while and forgot to bring my reusable bags with me, and now I have a Jewel bag" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110890194949924049) 2023-08-16T04:11:30Z ****
And, to reiterate my thoughts, I think plug-and-charge is neat. I even kinda-sorta use it with EVgo.

But good gravy nobody would care about it if card payments just /worked/ like they do /literally everywhere but car chargers for some inexplicable reason/ ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110897338168325347) 2023-08-16T04:06:40Z ****
lololol, a comment on the video says something like "see, here's why plug-and-charge is so great. You don't always have your phone or wallet with you, but -" and I'm gonna need to stop you right there, bud.

Yes. Yes I do.

I do the ol' pocket pat every time I grab my car keys.

ESPECIALLY when I'm leaving on a road trip. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110897319135502340) 2023-08-16T15:46:30Z ****
Reading some comments, it's clear beliefs are stickier than evidence.

There's a contingent of numbskulls who simply cannot (will not?) make the effort to envision a future in which this is scaled up. Trying to find a way to deal with that is one of the great challenges of our time.

[https://youtu.be/s2xrarUWVRQ](https://youtu.be/s2xrarUWVRQ) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110900071023688454) 2023-08-19T02:46:04Z ****
Y'know, I was just starting to think maaaaaaaaybe the platform formerly known as Twitter was bottoming out on its "getting worse" trajectory but then... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110913989136794979) 2023-08-19T18:15:52Z ****
Need 240V for a test?

This'll work.

(Note: do not do this) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110917645251479152) 2023-08-19T18:17:19Z ****
And to explain for all my non-North American peeps, these two cords go to plugs that are on adjacent breakers in the panel. That means across the two hot wires you'll get 240V rather than 120V.

So, in a pinch, you can just do this.

Should you? No. But it's possible. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110917650998646785) 2023-08-19T18:47:40Z ****
And just for some proof that this was 240 ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110917770301276631) 2023-08-19T19:16:22Z ****
BTW, folks who think the US standard plug is scary have clearly never encountered one of our range plugs before.

(This plug is also often used for EV charging, supporting 9.6 kW continuously) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110917883195757886) 2023-08-20T19:27:06Z ****
As soon as a big player like Pilot, Loves, whatever rolls out charging en masse they're gonna be able to do the same with electricity.

Tesla, unless they want to learn the ins-and-outs of running convenience stores, won't be able to do that, so the cost of their charging will stay high. They aren't set up to subsidize it with other things. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110923587657225524) 2023-08-20T19:24:54Z ****
I don't know why it took me this long to articulate this thought, but Tesla's charging model is ultimately a trap for themselves:

They rely on other folks to provide services near their charging sites. That's clever, BUT it means they do not make any money from those services.

And that's precisely what keeps gas stations in business. They compete with one another to such an extent that the fuel is sold barely above cost, and the store/car wash/cafe is where they /actually/ make money. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110923579005029582) 2023-08-24T23:05:43Z ****
It's stupid hot out today (pushing 100°F/~38°C) and my strategy of using the house and its contents as a thermal battery is being pushed to the limit.

But, it's still working! My air conditioner has been off for 8 hours and I'm still decently comfortable. 76°F is 24.4°C ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110947096557310092) 2023-08-24T23:10:03Z ****
Now, I live in a very new home built to recent codes. But I have very little shade, and in any case it shows what's possible!

Demand-side energy management has a ton of potential when combined with a little brainpower. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110947113626662957) 2023-08-26T15:07:43Z ****
I have a new video.

I don't know how exactly I thought these things worked before I looked it up, but it sure wasn't anything close to how they actually work.

[https://youtu.be/Khp3wb0QMpQ](https://youtu.be/Khp3wb0QMpQ) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110956541577604872) 2023-08-30T17:10:41Z ****
Think this'll work?

(I just realized this wasn't their second question and arguably isn't even a question but... eh.) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110979674385571956) 2023-08-30T17:22:01Z ****
holy crap you guys ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/110979718961810299) 2023-09-04T14:58:03Z ****
Todayborday is laborday ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111007464383487683) 2023-09-05T16:41:37Z ****
Buying laundry detergent is so frustrating. It keeps moving around the store based on where the moon is. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111013533911247591) 2023-09-07T17:00:29Z ****
In much of Europe, coffee can be purchased whole bean or protective earth. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111024932764002490) 2023-09-12T20:45:20Z ****
Whaddya know, the charging cable that came with my Lumia 950XL is gonna work with iPhones now! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111054128415816984) 2023-09-16T21:56:01Z ****
As a Midwesterner, it is absolutely bonkers to me how common it appears to be for HVAC systems to get installed in attics.

Don't do that. Stop doing that! WTF?

That's bad enough, but then you go and run the ducts up there, too?

Y'all.

If you keep the system and the ducts within the space you're trying to heat and cool, you don't have to account for any losses, now, do ya?

Put the air handler in a utility closet. Run ducts /below/ the ceiling. Enclose with soffiting if you must.

The end. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111077055614350057) 2023-09-16T21:58:29Z ****
This is a test rant for a future video that may or may not happen.

But seriously, I cannot fathom how HVAC stuff in attics (or crawlspaces!) got normalized. Especially in new construction.

You virtually never see that around here (the most common application is old homes with radiators for heat who want to add central air) and for good reason! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111077065337979759) 2023-09-17T02:37:35Z ****
Just thinking about how norms feel normal and stepping outside of them feels weird.

When I hear people say "where else would the furnace go?" or whatever, it's super puzzling to me because... in the furnace room! We literally called it that in the house I grew up in.

But if it's normal to shove it up in the attic where you live, planning a room for that stuff might feel wasteful. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111078162811678195) 2023-09-17T02:34:31Z ****
Re: my earlier toot.

Honest question - is a "utility room" some sort of Midwestern thing?

Talking about how to avoid running ducts through attics, it occurred to me that it might be.

Here, if you don't have a basement, there's usually a room with your furnace/air handler, water heater, and washer/dryer. Plumbing often routes there, too.

Sometimes it's less of a room and more of a closet, but we can't just stick the washer and water heater in the garage 'cause they'll freeze. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111078150707475830) 2023-09-26T16:11:29Z ****
I'm going to irritate a subset of electricians with this new video...

[https://youtu.be/vNj75gJVxcE](https://youtu.be/vNj75gJVxcE) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111132323988796467) 2023-09-26T16:53:58Z ****
I don't know why I'm surprised as I structured the thumbnail and intro to lead to a surprise twist, but boy howdy are the comments fun this time!

Real easy to spot who comments before watching... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111132491050087639) 2023-09-27T20:30:45Z ****
Would you like a short thread on a weird internal conflict I have regarding a fairly widespread issue Hyundai/Kia E-GMP cars are having?

That question was rhetorical. Strap in.

OK, so my car can (in theory) charge at 48 amps. With our Freedom voltage, that's 11.5 kW. A fair number of owners are having problems charging at this speed because the charge inlet overheats.

Now, initially, Hyundai had a very stupid strategy for this occurrence: stop charging entirely. That was awful. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111139005780284549) 2023-09-27T20:35:31Z ****
I have been on the record repeatedly that almost nobody should need to charge above 30 amps.

You can drive 150 miles in the middle of winter every single day and still expect a charge to take about 10 hours.

My charger is 30 amps and it has never ever been an issue. And I quite regularly drive over 100 miles in one go.

In fact, I could drop down to a 16 amp charger and the only real penalty for me would be that I would be charging outside of the cheapest hours. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111139024507961619) 2023-09-27T20:32:38Z ****
People with high-power chargers were waking up to find their car hadn't charged at all.

With a software update, the car will now reduce charging current if the port is overheating and continue charging. Obviously the thing they should have done from the start.

However, some owners are very upset that their car will not charge at the advertised speeds. And here's where my internal conflict kicks in:

It's really, /really/ hard for me to sympathize with this. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111139013146636553) 2023-09-27T20:40:12Z ****
I'm stuck between this feeling that I should be making a stink about this because the situation's not right, but I'm also feeling that the problem is rarely if ever truly impactful.

It's been very challenging to communicate to folks that "medium-speed" charging has almost no use-cases. You're either in a hurry to charge your care at a DC fast charger, or you're not.

And high-ish speed charging at a workplace is /really/ silly because then people have to shuffle cars around. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111139042939775354) 2023-09-27T20:37:33Z ****
But. I understand the argument that the car should be able to charge at the speeds it's been advertised to. And there are a few people who genuinely need it to (though my sincere advice to those people is to move and stop torturing yourself with whatever the hell kind of commute requires 48 amp charging).

I absolutely want Hyundai to figure this out... but I also think it's not a big deal.

So yay! Nuance! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111139032516660963) 2023-09-27T20:42:34Z ****
So, if anyone's out there who knows of this issue and has been wondering why I've not made a stink like I did with the brake lights, it's a combination of A) I don't really know how widespread the problem actually is B) it's honestly a really small subset of folks who would genuinely be troubled by this and C) I've been beating the drum of "you don't need a big charger" for years and years now.

I am hoping that the engineers at Hyundai/Kia figure this out, though, even if it doesn't affect me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111139052193420520) 2023-09-28T13:07:40Z ****
Relatedly, a while back I was in Wisconsin and on my way back home once I crossed the Cheddar Curtain there was a sign that read

"Illinois Welcome Center: OPE "

and it was like a warm hug ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111142925765070769) 2023-09-28T13:04:11Z ****
I propose a new quirky airline to unseat Southwest.

Introducing Midwest Airlines!

The snacks and drinks are all generic, the interior will feature corn motifs, deplaning will be extra slow because of all the saying goodbyes, and the winglets will proudly feature the tagline: "Ope!" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111142912070923013) 2023-09-28T18:09:57Z ****
In my last video, I probably should have included an image of what "in conduit" means. So here's the outlet in my kitchen island, and what's inside the cabinet.

All electrical work around Chicago is done like this even in residential construction. Armored cabling is sometimes allowed and is much easier for a DIYer. I've worked with it before, though, and it still sucks compared to Romex! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111144114427164388) 2023-10-03T15:20:57Z ****
Interesting. Hopped over to that other site and a bunch of thirst trap bots are liking my tweets despite my account being locked.

Figured a bunch of existing followers got their accounts compromised but nope - these bots aren't following me.

So that site continues to decay... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111171761428784375) 2023-10-03T15:28:48Z ****
OOPS

Okay it's less bad than I thought - they're liking posts I've been mentioned in, not of my own.

Still a lotta bots, though... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111171792310297080) 2023-10-08T18:20:15Z ****
The other day I got home to my smoke alarms occasionally going off. I eventually discovered two things:

1\. Some newer interconnected alarms flash their power-on indicators after they've been triggered (and continue until you press the test button) so you can determine which one's the problem and

2\. A small spider next to the offending alarm

After... dealing with the spider, the nuisance alarms stopped. I can only assume it kept crawling into the sensor, setting it off, and crawling back out! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111200778006532446) 2023-10-09T16:05:14Z ****
An observation:

Many people seem to be under the impression that series hybrid drivetrains (where the ICE powerplant turns a generator which powers a motor) are superior to parallel hybrid (where the ICE can spin the wheels directly).

I think a lot of this comes from knowledge of diesel-electric locomotives, and trains are known to be efficient. But, in fact, those trains would be even more efficient of they could parallelize the diesel engine - that's just really hard, and isn't the point. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111205909455174657) 2023-10-09T16:08:14Z ****
Spinning a generator to make power which you then use to spin a motor introduces losses.

Diesel-electric locomotives are mainly solving the complexity of getting thousands of tons of steel to move with a (relatively) small diesel engine. Much easier to use electricity than design a mechanical transmission that could handle that.

But if you could feasibly spin the wheels with the engine, it would be more efficient to cut out that step - which is why most hybrids cars do this whenever possible. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111205921207070672) 2023-10-09T16:23:56Z ****
To clarify what I'm getting at here, I see lots of folks look at how trains work and assume this would be the most efficient way to make a car (or other vehicle).

But there's tons and tons of real-world data out there which proves a series-hybrid drivetrain in a car just isn't that great. Every automaker trying a series-first approach has mediocre fuel economy compared to those parallelizing it.

Trains do it for flexibility/robustness more than they do energy-efficiency b/c that's the priority ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111205982950700900) 2023-10-10T13:44:40Z ****
There are several techniques by which this is done. Toyota's HSD is a form of power-split device which acts like a CVT - but it has even fewer moving parts than a manual transmission.

Which is a whole other can of worms I'd like to open. People imagine hybrid drivetrains as being extremely complex when in reality they're often much \*simpler\* because the drive unit replaces a conventional transmission.

I want to pick all these misconceptions apart and explain what's really happening ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111211019024362211) 2023-10-10T13:41:26Z ****
Yesterday's toots about serial/parallel hybrid cars vs. trains are really pushing me to make a video about hybrid car tech.

Here's the thing lots of people don't seem to know: the most efficient hybrid powertrains \*also\* do the trick of keeping the engine at optimum RPM/efficiency \*but the engine can still contribute directly to the spinning of the wheels\*

It's the technique that makes diesel-electric efficient but even more so because it largely skips conversion losses. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111211006318837497) 2023-10-12T02:02:19Z ****
I have been working an unhealthy amount the last two weeks on what I believe is my most complex video yet. It's a video I've been wanting to make for years about a subject I've always loved.

It's finally finished, rendered, and uploading now. Coming to a screen near you soon! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111219581847604451) 2023-10-12T02:12:02Z ****
A teaser ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111219620098205745) 2023-10-14T16:26:53Z ****
Who you callin' pinhead?

(it's a new video!)

[https://youtu.be/ue-1JoJQaEg](https://youtu.be/ue-1JoJQaEg) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111234306104363774) 2023-10-14T18:44:16Z ****
Genuinely fascinated by the number of people who didn't notice the Williams logo and are commenting on the "Motorola-branded" relays throughout the machine.

Like, yeah, those logos are really similar... but the text on the relays is also upside down. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111234846346590902) 2023-10-14T19:04:26Z ****
For clarity, I'm not trying to make fun of anybody here. It's more a lesson in what people do and don't notice mixed with priming from prior knowledge!

Next video I'll definitely point out that these components were all made in-house. Not only were many of them very specialized, but they had to make an absurd sum! They produced over 10,000 copies of Aztec - and that's just one game! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111234925598049740) 2023-10-25T01:51:59Z ****
TIL that store-bought dust cleaning gel goes bad and it is not pleasant. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111293151268684685) 2023-10-29T19:10:48Z ****
Hi, I'm stuck waiting on laundry to finish and am bored, so why don't I come on here and write some hot takes about YouTube?

I mean, I can think of several reasons, but too bad I'll do it anyway.

Knowing the leanings of the folks on this particular platform this is likely to spark some debate, but note that I'm not trying to paint YouTube as a saint - in fact, the first thing I want to talk about is a strategy they've taken which puts me and all YT creators in a weird place: ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111319885311126476) 2023-10-29T19:13:19Z ****
Seemingly few people know (or understand completely) that YT Premium is a good deal for all parties involved - it kills ads, creators get a cut of the membership, and (in my experience anyway) it neutralizes many of the platform's weird tendencies because serving relevant ads to the viewer is no longer a concern.

I would advocate for it much more strongly (and I say 100% truthfully that Premium views pay me more than ad-supported views do) except YT continues to lump YT music into it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111319895234933188) 2023-10-29T19:16:59Z ****
I have been paying for YouTube Premium since it was called YouTube Red, and I will happily continue to do so.

So many of the "YouTube is getting so much worse" takes I see just... don't apply to me because I haven't seen an ad on the platform in years now.

I would tell you that by signing up for YT premium you should happily think about it as a small Patreon membership for everybody you watch - your money will be sent to those folks split up based on watch time.

But Music complicates this. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111319909614132309) 2023-10-29T19:24:13Z ****
Now, saying anything positive about YT or Google on this particular platform is... well it's probably not going to be received well.

Understand that I would love for there to be a competitor to YouTube that worked like YouTube, but so far nobody has had the balls to copy their revenue split model. That's what it takes. Pay your creators!

Some alternatives kinda-sorta do but I would rather my content be accessible to all and currently I'm not interested in another thing to manage. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111319938105101892) 2023-10-29T19:27:34Z ****
Also, one last thing:

Creators have always had control (and as of now still do) over whether to use mid-roll ads AND where to place them.

I don't use them. You shouldn't see them on my videos.

And if you are watching something and the ad cuts off a sentence, that is 100% the uploader being lazy and letting YT just toss them in wherever.

kay bye ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111319951240787717) 2023-10-30T03:44:43Z ****
It's not like I didn't know full well that it was gonna happen, but boy howdy is saying any nice thing about Large Internet Company on Mastodon quite the exercise.

I'm just another noodle on the internet - what do I know?

But perhaps if any mention of a mainstream anything invites You're Doing it Wrong and you Should Feel Bad About Your Opinions as responses by default... maybe this place isn't so fun. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111321906136541562) 2023-10-30T03:45:13Z ****
To be clear, I ain't leaving - I do enjoy this place and its mission.

But be careful how you proselytize it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111321908062934596) 2023-10-30T14:14:04Z ****
Social media meta

* * *

I don't know exactly who needs to hear this, but if you are at a party and you overheard someone talking about something you don't like, it would be quite odd and rather rude to interject and derail their conversation with your personal grievances.

Most people would view that as socially unacceptable in fact!

If every popular person here becomes a lightning rod for this behavior, then it's hard for them to stick around. If that's what you want... good luck with that. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111324380836091124) 2023-10-30T14:10:29Z ****
Social media meta

* * *

In hindsight, I think the most powerful thing about quote tweets was that you could highlight behaviors and stances that were unacceptable, and at-scale that created a sense of culture.

There are quite a few posts aggressively missing my point I'd love to quote-boost, but since I can't do that here, I can only tackle things one at a time as replies. And then the cross-instance nature means many won't see that!

So that's fun. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111324366704315475) 2023-10-31T20:38:02Z ****
Oh, and relatedly, the 1000V-compatible NACS connector had to add depth to the DC pins to alleviate arcing potential at that voltage. The face of it is no longer nice and flush, and it's a hideous looking thing now!

Which I will savor as a delicious serving of my favorite flavor of irony. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111331552978040051) 2023-10-31T20:33:50Z ****
Still will be very happy to see more competition in the space on the manufacturing side, but Tesla-as-a-hardware-vendor and not an operator is certainly an intriguing sea change.

If they're willing to supply would-be competitors, that suggests to me that may want to exit the charging provider space in the not-too-distant future.

Maybe not, but as I've said before, they're in a uniquely bad spot because they have to make charging profitable, whereas the gas station model sells fuel at a loss. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111331536412535472) 2023-10-31T20:30:49Z ****
Re: news about Tesla selling charging hardware to BP

Now THAT is an angle that completely escaped me. I figured they'd only ever want to make charging hardware for their own network, but now that we are careening towards their plug standard, it makes sense for non-exclusive networks to buy their hardware.

And to be honest, this is a good thing because Tesla's charging hardware actually works. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111331524589851144) 2023-10-31T22:50:33Z ****
I just learned the little hover previews on Wikipedia are not taken from the article they reference in a very humorous way! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111332074002400736) 2023-11-05T14:02:26Z ****
Let's back up a minute

[https://youtu.be/bis\_4MT5SSo](https://youtu.be/bis_4MT5SSo) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111358308916266870) 2023-11-14T19:05:23Z ****
I've literally been keeping an electric kettle on the little section of countertop next to the stove this whole time and not once did I consider that space would be WAY more useful if I just put my little Ikea burner unit there and left a stovetop kettle on it.

Remember kids, we made it to the moon before we thought to put wheels on luggage. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111410461013008364) 2023-11-14T19:03:19Z ****
A kettle idea for 'muricans:

I can't believe it took me this long to realize that since I bought a single-burner induction cooktop, I could just dedicate that to the space my plug-in kettle sits on the countertop and use a stovetop kettle with it.

That will boil water in the kettle just as quickly, and then I'll have an extra (and faster!) burner whenever that will come in handy while hardly taking up any more counter space.

Plus, kettles that scream at you are more charming! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111410452862393851) 2023-11-15T04:54:04Z ****
I don't know what to do with this other than just be like... okay bud.

Wait 'til they get a load of one of them no cylinder cars and how fast they go.

And if they really wanna see a big engine, they should try a train!\*

\*I know how uncommon diesel locos are in your part of the world, no need to blurt that out now ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111412775811802306) 2023-11-15T04:49:10Z ****
Watched a video on the new Toyota Camry and one of my favorite examples of car brain rot are the folks who still cling to cylinder count as the be-all-end-all.

They dropped the V6 option and now they're all hybrids.

Nevermind that it's making the same power as a V6 Camry from 20 years ago while also getting probably double the fuel economy, the crowd says "oh noooo 4 is less than 6"

Literally all they consider is the number of splodey holes. It's so tiring. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111412756491360001) 2023-11-17T22:47:33Z ****
Critical thoughts about Mastodon

* * *

If a post of mine gets a boosted to a broader audience, I am subject to harassment. I'm not going to sugarcoat that, it's harassment.

Sure, of the various kinds of harassment I have not been subject to anything serious. But it is exhausting and personally insulting, with one person telling me in no uncertain terms that they don't believe my job should be a job.

This. Fucking. Sucks.

And who's accountable for taming that? Nobody! Because it's between instances. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111428321493719008) 2023-11-17T22:45:47Z ****
Critical thoughts about Mastodon

* * *

Whenever I encounter problems, I am inevitably told I should try different instance. Whenever anybody has problems, people say "maybe you should move instances"

I do not know why so many people fail to grasp this, but we are experiencing mastodon between instances far more than we are on our own. I hardly ever look at the home tab for mas.to, I look at who I'm following on the Home feed.

That in-betweeny space is apparently impossible to moderate. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111428314577541235) 2023-11-17T22:44:10Z ****
Critical thoughts about Mastodon

* * *

So. Three folks I follow are echoing pretty much the same sentiment I've been trying to express and are spending less time here.

I'll preface with a reminder that you may very well feel my opinions are bunk. I am a successful YouTuber, after all, with all the privileges that entails.

But here's the brass tacks: it's harder for me to be here comfortably than it was on the birdsite. And to be honest, I think Mastodon's always gonna be this way. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111428308227305812) 2023-11-17T22:54:39Z ****
Critical thoughts about Mastodon

* * *

And as much as I would love to be a cheerleader for this idea, well firstly, I'm not sure people even want me to be a cheerleader! This feels like a place full of hipsters that don't want people to find their fun coffee shop.

But even if people wanted me to help spread the idea of mastodon, or Fedi more broadly, to be honest there are just far too many caveats for me to suggest my friends and colleagues come here.

I would hope you'd be concerned by that. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111428349407979932) 2023-11-17T22:55:55Z ****
Critical thoughts about Mastodon

* * *

But at this point, it feels like that's what people want. There is no desire to make this platform more usable for people with larger audiences.

Christ, just the fact that notifications aren't stacked makes using this really hard as someone with a sizable following.

If the culture is that anti-growth, if it's to remain that fractured and rudderless, I don't see a fun future here.

Fin ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111428354439361218) 2023-11-18T15:53:44Z ****
Please feel free to tell me to pound sand. I don't need to be here, and "successful YouTubers" is hardly a marginalized group.

But also understand that I \*want\* to be here. I'm not leveraging this platform to spread my videos, I'm here to offer a way for people to connect with me. And I'm here to have fun.

At this point I need to self-censor a /lot/ to keep it fun. I'll try that for a while, but it's a damn shame I need to do it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111432356594649932) 2023-11-18T15:50:06Z ****
Well, last night's thread sure was (and continues to be) a wild ride.

I'll be blunt here: please believe me that I'm experiencing problems frequently enough to make me not like this place. And \*\*please\*\* try to understand how a repeated onslaught of suggestions on how I myself need to solve those problems doesn't give me much solace.

If I have to be responsible for managing this with whatever tools or strategies you throw at me just to be here happily, that's not something I need in my life. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111432342367907964) 2023-11-18T18:08:38Z ****
Anyway I made a video

[https://youtu.be/TBPVJtGBf8Y](https://youtu.be/TBPVJtGBf8Y) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111432887101065152) 2023-11-18T19:43:04Z ****
And my complaints are really just about that - quality and volume of replies.

I have received some ugly stuff here, but nothing that is even actionable by moderation. I don't think it's crossed that line. So people saying "just do this!" largely don't understand the scope of the problem. At least, I think that's where we're at now.

What I'm yearning for is a filter to separate signal from noise. Because now everything is signal - which means it's all noise. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111433258427572690) 2023-11-18T19:41:02Z ****
Alright, we appear to have uncovered something with the help of y'all.

Twitter had a featured apparently called "Quality Filter" - this was probably turned on at some point unbeknownst to me once I crossed X-number of followers but was opt-in otherwise.

This was undoubtedly the thing that hid nasty replies and prevented them from showing up in my notifs. And if this wasn't on for you (or you didn't have access) that may explain why my lived experience Over There has been easier than here. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111433250435885388) 2023-11-19T05:18:24Z ****
I searched through comments for the word "glove" on my latest video and am happy to report that the 'Ove' Glove continues its streak of near-universal acclaim.

One person didn't like it, a few others mentioned you can't get it wet, but dozens more praised it. Because it's great.

Of course, we have the welding glove preferers chiming in, too. A solid option, for sure.

But then you can't say "I love my 'ove' glove" and that's quite a compromise. Dealbreaker, even. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111435520678462803) 2023-11-20T05:13:20Z ****
I, for one, think we should still be measuring data transfer speeds in CD-ROM Xes.

Just moved some files from one drive to another at 2,400X speed! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111441163104894887) 2023-11-20T17:38:21Z ****
This video is without a doubt a masterpiece.

I've never been so emotionally affected by a piece of media.

If you want to understand my fascination with EPCOT and why it shaped me so profoundly, you can learn in a visually stunning and expertly crafted way.

Recommend watching on a big screen with a good sound system.

[https://youtu.be/LTBB\_QeKhcM](https://youtu.be/LTBB_QeKhcM) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111444092617435129) 2023-11-21T16:22:52Z ****
I made a video on the popcorn button controversy

[https://youtu.be/Limpr1L8Pss](https://youtu.be/Limpr1L8Pss) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111449458086027906) 2023-11-24T23:12:30Z ****
Stopped in the thrift store today after donating some stuff and I'm continuing my tradition of purchasing souvenir mugs with places I have not been to on them.

Weird commemorative ones are solid options, too! Nothing weird enough this time, though ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111468055790005743) 2023-11-24T23:14:52Z ****
Oh, I also grabbed this dope ugly Christmas sweater! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111468065098631009) 2023-11-26T18:09:18Z ****
Every car here since forever ago has these and it's a good idea! It adds conspicuity at night and lets you gauge the size of the vehicle from any angle since you know where the front and rear are.

Imported models often didn't think about this requirement so their side-markers are VERY tacked-on.

Hyundai didn't exactly forget about it, but I'll nominate the Ioniq 5 as having the tiniest rear side markers of any car because they're adorable.

But they're there and they work! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111478188181558289) 2023-11-26T18:06:10Z ****
Y'all know I like to dump on US automotive lighting regulations. In general, they're poop.

BUT. There's one thing we require which the rest of the world bafflingly doesn't.

Side marker lamps!

I was shocked to learn that my Figaro is absolutely dark from the sides at night (save for its turn signal repeaters). That would not fly here AT ALL. There needs to be an amber light up front and a red light in back to indicate its position and orientation from the side at night. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111478175842320523) 2023-11-26T19:37:50Z ****
Adding to this:

It's not just lights, it's reflectors! The car has to be conspicuous at night from the side even if it is parked.

(the front reflector is also illuminated when the headlights/parking lights are on) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111478536334266021) 2023-11-30T14:40:19Z ****
everybody wake up

it's time to do this nonsense again

[https://youtu.be/va1rzP2xIx4](https://youtu.be/va1rzP2xIx4) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111500015690995080) 2023-11-30T22:40:56Z ****
It remains utterly fascinating to me how many of you lot look at a 2700K light source and describe it as "not white"

Y'all gotta stop staring at screens all day ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111501905494485011) 2023-11-30T22:43:13Z ****
Is it yellow-ish? I suppose you could call it that.

"Yellow?" tf are you seeing.

I remain convinced people with this take have spent time in chronically underlit environments and haven't actually seen a well-lit space in their lives. If shifting to cool white lets you see better you don't have enough illumination. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111501914520747210) 2023-12-01T22:50:03Z ****
All right folks, let me just put this out there:

Part of my persona is Cranky Old Man™

Sometimes I go a little too far with this, and I try to be conscious of that. But it seems that this is entirely incompatible with being here on Mastodon.

I don't know if there's a way that I can preface my spicy posts so y'all know I'm mostly speaking in jest, or if it's just a lost cause. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111507603717521659) 2023-12-02T16:20:56Z ****
Masto/fedi meta

* * *

Real talk:

It is utterly exhausting to look at my notifications every morning (which is a difficult slog as it is with this many followers) and see response after response saying "just mute/block those folks" again and again.

I'm gonna make this as clear as I can:

On Twitter,

this. was. not. a. thing. I. had. to. do.

I can probably count on one hand the number of times I had to block people because, get this, Twitter had a quality filter which caught most insufferable people ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111511735894043437) 2023-12-02T16:29:18Z ****
Masto/fedi meta

* * *

And one last point:

If, as the culture appears here to be, it is up to the individual user to curate their experience:

Just fuckin' unfollow me! Mute me! Curate YOUR feed! You can make your life better without making mine worse. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111511768854591703) 2023-12-02T16:24:56Z ****
Masto/fedi meta

* * *

The general (and relentlessly repeated) advice here, that I am the one who needs to take control over my experience here to have a good time, is honestly really really irritating.

I'm gonna lay this out on the line right now: if I have to put this kind of work in to exist here peacefully, it's more likely that I'll just bow out and stop trying altogether.

My needs and experience here are likely VERY different from yours. At this point, they're often too different to reconcile. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111511751647482507) 2023-12-02T16:50:38Z ****
Masto/fedi meta

* * *

(one last one last point)

Another thing I want y'all to know - the reason I've been boosting my replies to annoying folks lately?

It's to try and give a signal to those folks \*and others\* that I find that behavior unacceptable.

That is something this platform desperately needs - like it or not, some of the features of other platforms allow the crowd to signal what's good and bad. That is its own form of moderation. Like giving digital side-eye.

Its absence here isn't all good. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111511852683437715) 2023-12-03T00:37:04Z ****
I wasn't gonna boost that.

But I did anyway. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111513686816297935) 2023-12-03T00:41:29Z ****
btw, if you want context for this, well there's this feature that some other websites have (and I hear tell certain forks of this here software) that would make it a lot easier

sadly, I ain't got one of those at the moment. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111513704139418937) 2023-12-03T01:26:21Z ****
Some of you are gonna disagree with me on my interpretation, I bet. And that's OK.

But thanks to the Magic of Federation, you might not see these replies.

And also thanks to the Magic of Federation, even if you want to find these replies you'll have to look through dozens because I have so many followers.

I'm considering it my mission at this point to make these issues more visible. And the "look, one of these" boosts will serve as a content warning.

Peace. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111513880618627615) 2023-12-03T01:23:43Z ****
New rule: when somebody's being an ass to me in my replies, I will reply to them with "Oh look, one of theses" and boost that reply.

I need y'all to see these so I stop feeling so gaslit about this place. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111513870221942478) 2023-12-03T02:06:27Z ****
And now I'll be a real Fedi booster.

Remember to donate to your instances! It costs money to host this stuff.

And in preparation for whatever the heck I might be unleashing, it's time to practice what I preach. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111514038249039848) 2023-12-03T16:00:07Z ****
I am legit fascinated by the number of folks who are assuming I want the features I'm looking forced on every user.

Setting aside that that's technically impossible, it says to me that a lot of folks here who like it as it is view any change as some kind of threat. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111517316375167820) 2023-12-03T16:27:52Z ****
I really hope y'all understand I'm trying to improve the experience here and in so doing make this a healthier and more attractive place to be.

I didn't want to be a squeaky wheel but you know what they say... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111517425498358896) 2023-12-04T21:26:30Z ****
Meanwhile, Nest no longer (at least with the basic ones) lets you set different schedules for heating and cooling modes.

Call me crazy, but I actually like my HVAC system to run different schedules in the heating vs. cooling season (and I NEVER let it run on "auto" mode).

You used to be able to do this! The old Nest app supported it and it made perfect sense. The Google Home app doesn't, and the new cheap Nests don't talk to the old app and IT'S ALL SO STUPID ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524262073315911) 2023-12-04T21:24:11Z ****
The ONE THING Ecobee did better was holding. Y'know, the feature every programmable thermostat has had forever.

Well, in November I went on a trip with them and needed to figure out how to get the thermostat to be dumb for their house/dogsitter.

Where did the hold feature go? It appeared to be gone.

Oh? Now you have to go into the settings and tell it \*how long\* you want it to hold a temporary change, and one of the options is "indefinitely"

WHO THOUGHT THAT MADE ANY SENSE ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524252946565072) 2023-12-04T21:21:58Z ****
Preface: please don't tell us why we shouldn't use a smart thermostat.

I'll probably need to go on a video rant about this, but smart thermostats are rapidly getting dumber.

My folks got a new heat pump system in the spring. It needed a new two-stage thermostat and the company offered an Ecobee.

"Great!" I thought. People kept telling me Ecobee is better than Nest, and I've had major frustrations with the new Nest thermostat.

Folks. It's just bad in different but equally maddening ways. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524244227905210) 2023-12-04T21:30:22Z ****
Literally all anybody is asking for is a thermostat which can do scheduling, can be remotely controlled/monitored, and change setpoints based on occupancy.

It needs to be an easier-to-program thermostat with a few smarts on top and THAT'S IT.

Right now, they're all sliding backwards in the name of "comfort presets" or some BS and the experience of using them is much worse than a simple programmable unit.

I cannot fathom who is making these design decisions and why. It's just awful. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524277269219815) 2023-12-04T21:42:33Z ****
Ugh, I see I missed another disclaimer I needed to put on this particular platform:

I do not need advice here. This is me venting, and please for the love of god assume somebody else has mentioned home assistant and why I should be using that because they absolutely have.

Not to get all meta on you again, but people really like to give advice here when it's not being asked for. It's annoying. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524325196375529) 2023-12-04T22:14:57Z ****
Okay, ya got me: my last post was kind of harsh.

Please feel free to be helpful here, but also:

Check your holier-than-thou attitudes at the door. Read your post and wonder if someone else might view it as judgmental - I sense a lot of thinly veiled criticisms towards people who dare to use commercial smart thermostats. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524452573611790) 2023-12-05T00:26:52Z ****
For context, the way Nest as well as every programmable-but-not-smart thermostat I have ever used manages things, when you adjust the temperature manually, that is \*a temporary override\* that will stay active until the next program set point.

On Nest, hold isn't even a thing (!).

But on other thermostats, HOLD means you are telling it to ignore the program \*\*entirely\*\* and become a dumb thermostat \*\*until you turn HOLD off.\*\*

Ecobee's paradigm here is bonkers. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524971292738724) 2023-12-05T00:24:26Z ****
Re: ecobee hold nonsense.

It's possible that this has been updated from when I last encountered their thermostat. I do not recall seeing the "Decide at the time of change" option.

But I dare you to tell me that is not ridiculously over complicated and asinine to my face.

And if you want to lose your mind even more, click the link and realize how specific these instructions have to be for all the different models they've sold over the years.

[https://support.ecobee.com/s/articles/What-s-the-Hold-setting-on-my-ecob ... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111524961742571186) 2023-12-05T00:44:25Z ****
And for an anecdotal explanation:

Imagine you have not-so-tech-comfortable parents who are leaving their dogs with a house sitter. You want that house sitter to have manual control over the thermostat.

OK, so you have to change what overriding DOES deep in a submenu.

Now, when they're back home from the trip, they have to REMEMBER TO CHANGE THIS SETTING or - AT BEST - every time they make a manual override, they have to decide what the thermostat does and it's a two-step process. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111525040308559379) 2023-12-05T00:47:11Z ****
Not only does this run counter to what the last 15 years of owning a programmable thermostat (and then a Nest) taught them, this is a needlessly complicated paradigm that is especially difficult for those who aren't comfortable with apps or touchscreens.

I'm alright with there being some customizability in what overrides do. But HOLD should be a SEPARATE THING not tied into this menu. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111525051180890479) 2023-12-05T13:45:42Z ****
Huh. Pleasantly surprised this morning by the discussion occurring around my smart thermostat posts. Good job, Fedi!

And it has been useful: apparently there are many, MANY different imaginations out there of what thermostats are and how they work (made even more complicated by technical/equipment norms across the world).

If I'm going to try and illustrate my frustrations in a video, I'll need to do fairly substantial foundational buildup. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528112423776855) 2023-12-05T15:34:31Z ****
Okay, wow. Apologies if this seems like it's getting stuck in my craw. But... it is.

What is a programmable thermostat? It is a thermostat where you can tell it different set points based on a schedule. For instance, at 10:00 at night it moves to your "bedtime" temp and at 6:00 in the morning it moves to your "wake" temperature.

Basic units usually offer four scheduling periods per day: wake, away (when at work), return, sleep.

All it's doing is changing the set point at specific times. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528540323105582) 2023-12-05T15:43:16Z ****
And the problem that people don't seem to understand is that circumstances sometimes change!

Are you having a dog sitter live at your home for a week? They probably don't want to deal with whatever BS schedules you put in on your thermostat, especially if they rely on presence sensing or smartphone locations.

You should be able to turn it into a dumb thermostat that anyone can understand with a simple toggle, and it astounds me that this feature is either difficult or missing. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528574762633284) 2023-12-05T15:39:53Z ****
For some unknown reason, the big smart thermostats either obfuscate this functionality (like Ecobee does) or don't have it at all (Nest).

And I'm having a really hard time communicating what the difference is between HOLD and an override.

There was an agreed upon paradigm prior to these smart thermostats showing up. And all the smart thermostats really are is a programmable thermostat with remote connectivity. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528561438730821) 2023-12-05T15:37:35Z ****
Now. What if, for whatever reason, you need the thermostat to go into full manual mode? You want it to ignore the program completely until further notice. What is that called?

HOLD

These programmable thermostats, when you press hold, will completely ignore their program and become a dumb thermostat \*\*until you press hold again.\*\*

That is distinctly different from a temporary override. You are turning its brain off and making it become a manual thermostat. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528552374172493) 2023-12-05T15:36:11Z ****
But now, say you find it's a little chilly. You want to bump up the heat.

So you do! You press the little plus button and it's going to \*\*override\*\* the program until you move to the next program block. That means, however, the program remains active. You are temporarily deviating from the program and it will resume at the next block.

That, to me, is obviously the best course of action. There is no need to add more complexity to that, you can move it back down sooner if you want. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528546881477588) 2023-12-05T16:59:13Z ****
Re: smart stuff

I have run into a number of conversations where it becomes clear that to some folks, they really don't give a crap about what would happen if they need someone else to take over their house/thing/whatever.

As an example: people who have driven Teslas and then drive a Hyundai EV are finding it infuriating that you have to tell the car every time you get in it that you want it to engage one-pedal driving. It will not stay on.

I actually think that makes perfect sense. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528873417657295) 2023-12-05T17:02:14Z ****
I think in many facets of life we need to remind ourselves to think through things from other perspectives.

What works for you may not work for other people, and that's totally okay! And what seems insane to you might seem completely practical to somebody else. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528885259245381) 2023-12-05T17:00:45Z ****
If for whatever reason I need someone else to drive my car, whether that be in an emergency, to help me out, or even like valet parking if I have to do that somewhere, I would rather it behave like a normal car.

I don't think it's much of an ask for me to have to squeeze the left paddle every time I turn it on to turn on one pedal driving. But some other folks really really hate that, and in fact one person told me "who cares about other people driving my car?"

Well, I do! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111528879400404743) 2023-12-07T15:19:55Z ****
Hey! Hey you!

Wanna know something important‽

Your phone keyboard might let you type an interrobang if you long-press the question mark key. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111539807574287429) 2023-12-07T15:58:30Z ****
Oh my gosh I just figured it out.

Okay, all you open source evangelist people: your knee-jerk reaction to come at people who are talking about a problem with whatever commercial software they use and suggest Your Favorite Alternatives™ is exactly like saying "why don't you just buy a house?" to someone complaining about their landlord. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111539959265152243) 2023-12-07T16:02:58Z ****
Actually, to borrow from [@DoubleA](https://techhub.social/@DoubleA), it's worse than that.

It's like talking to someone who is in a crappy apartment as though they have the agency and skills to stake out a plot of land and build their own home.

You have to be at peace with the fact that some people just want to exist and not worry about so many things. And they still have a right to complain about their situation. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111539976840667076) 2023-12-07T16:40:32Z ****
The replies here are so incredibly fascinating.

Half of you understand what I'm saying.

The other half are missing the point, aggressively. Sometimes it seems willful!

So. To make this explicitly clear: I'm not making any comment about any software here. I've said nothing about which is better or worse. I've not made any value judgment on the software people choose to use.

This is about how you talk to other people. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111540124570157736) 2023-12-07T20:58:48Z ****
[@DoubleA](https://techhub.social/@DoubleA) I am so sorry for what hell I must have unleashed in your notifications ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111541140093470434) 2023-12-07T22:27:49Z ****
The post in question:

(and that edit was very much to try and help people help themselves but... it ain't working)

[https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111539959265152243](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111539959265152243) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111541490138309415) 2023-12-07T22:25:36Z ****
The replies on that post just keep on happening without an OUNCE of self-awareness as they're made.

It would be funny if it weren't so serious a problem. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111541481408805241) 2023-12-10T16:11:07Z ****
I recently noticed that the State of Illinois has changed the font of the \*stamping\* on license plates.

The design is the same, but the stamped text is a bit thinner and the glyphs are blockier.

I am surprised how much this change is bothering me, to be honest. It has never occurred to me how much that is a defining feature. The first one I saw I assumed had to be fake! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111556995834012947) 2023-12-10T16:12:01Z ****
But - I'm relieved they're still being stamped.

Shame on all the states that just print them now. Cheapskates. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111556999374028078) 2023-12-10T18:56:41Z ****
Wow. Talking about license plate registration stickers has actually caused me to stick up for one of those typically 'murican values.

Do we really need a differently-colored sticker every year to signal the car is properly registered in this day and age of enforcement cameras with OCR hooked up to central databases? Strictly speaking, no.

But it's a nice alternative to that sort of surveillance tech being everywhere which I'd rather not normalize. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111557646811687359) 2023-12-11T23:48:33Z ****
As far as I can tell, my new car isn't doing this. For a start, charge scheduling was unreliable when I got the car, though that appears to have been fixed.

Regardless, you plug it in and it acknowledges that it isn't going to charge (saying "charging scheduled") but it doesn't find out the power supply behind the charger until it initiates charging.

It doesn't /really/ matter, to be fair, but I like the logic in the Bolt more. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111564456796106672) 2023-12-11T23:46:08Z ****
I just discovered a new thing GM figured out in 2017 that Hyundai hasn't:

I got my folks' Bolt set up to only charge off-peak (the setup was... obtuse, but that's not the point). Previously they were just using the delay function on their EVSE but my dad's been having trouble with it.

Well, when you plug it in, even though the car won't charge, it does request power for a moment so it can find out how big the charger is! Then it gives an estimated charge completion time. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111564447346207817) 2023-12-13T14:46:40Z ****
While it will undoubtedly be used infrequently these days, and also I'm a little late to suggest this as a gift idea, a nice return address stamp is a pleasing thing to have.

They're pretty cheap (like $15 for a self-inking one) and if you make a nice design with a standout color ink, it really jazzes up whatever it is you're sending! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111573650681528941) 2023-12-13T19:32:46Z ****
Context: Tesla news.

I. Fucking. Told. You. So. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111574775659521784) 2023-12-13T19:32:16Z ****
Wait, you mean the thing that was obviously mislabeled and obviously dangerous and that I've been cranky about for however many years now actually /is/ dangerous?

Who could have ever seen that coming.

(Me! It me!) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111574773697481356) 2023-12-18T22:19:48Z ****
Corporate practices that favor executives over the needs of the rank-and-file should be called McKinseyan, rhymes with Dickensian. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111603743996401226) 2023-12-21T23:17:35Z ****
Tagging [@snazzyq](https://mas.to/@snazzyq) in this, btw.

Is this a bad implementation? Sure. A software update could probably fix this behavior.

But if it had a power button? And it didn't turn itself on UNTIL I ASKED IT TO? This wouldn't have happened. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111620958184453618) 2023-12-21T23:16:24Z ****
Reason number 35 I just want my car to have a damn power button:

I recently rented a Volvo XC40 Recharge which just... turns on when you get in it with the key and you shift into drive and go. Some folks like this a lot.

OK, well it was raining. I had left the wipers on. Come to find out THE CAR WOULD TURN THEM ON BEFORE I HAD EVEN FINISHED SITTING DOWN.

Nothing I like more than having even more water thrown at me than that which is falling from the sky. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111620953503946943) 2023-12-26T14:33:35Z ****
As the Dishwasher Man, but not necessarily known here for being the Dishwasher Man, here's a short thread to explain my whole thing about detergent pods:

Dishwashers are simple machines. They fill with a small quantity of water, use a pump to force that water through spray arms, and those arms spray your dishes with the water. That's really all that's happening at a very basic level.

Key to making this actually clean your dishes is chemical detergents to break down food stuff. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111647209242890827) 2023-12-26T14:40:12Z ****
If it didn't have a way to hold detergent back and release it later, it would all be gone after the first fill and drain (which is known as the pre-wash).

Now, because the people who made dishwashers are smart folks, they know that ideally there should be at least some detergent in that pre-wash. That's when the plates/cookware is at its very dirtiest, after all, and adding a little soap to break down those oils would help.

That's why this dispenser has a divot in the lid. It's for that. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111647235299767845) 2023-12-26T14:36:47Z ****
Now, over the course of a cleaning cycle, your dishwasher will fill with water, pump it around for some time, then drain it several times. Every time it drains, it's getting rid of food debris the water picked up.

But it's also getting rid of whatever detergent is in the water.

This is why your dishwasher has a detergent dispenser: it wants to wash for a short while to get the big food chunks off and pumped away before it spends the bulk of its time washing with soapy water. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111647221820770142) 2023-12-26T14:44:51Z ****
So this is why I have a beef with pods/tablets/what have you.

They're more expensive for a product that only kind of respects how dishwashers work. A product that explicitly prevents you from experimenting to see how far you can stretch your detergent. A product which encourages mindless consumption with extra packaging, to boot.

Or you could just get a paper box with some powder in it for $5 and it'll last you months.

Fin ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111647253585762614) 2023-12-26T14:42:32Z ****
This dishwasher spends 10 minutes washing, then drains and fills again before it opens that dispenser.

So if you use a detergent pod, those first 10 minutes of washing will be done with nothing but water.

Now, that can still do a lot! And you may be having fine results with your pods. But by not tackling the fats and oils in the first fill, the detergent has to work harder in the main wash cycle. Encapsulating oil particles uses it up and makes it less effective. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111647244419859537) 2023-12-26T15:55:03Z ****
A dishwasher tip specifically for those of you in North America:

Your dishwasher expects to be filled with hot water. If it takes more than 15 seconds for the water at your kitchen tap to get hot, your dishwasher may be washing with cold water for much of its cycle.

If your dishwasher seems kinda meh, try running the kitchen tap until it's proper hot and steamy before you start a wash cycle. It may make a huge difference. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111647529609251620) 2023-12-29T17:08:10Z ****
yo what up

new video time

[https://youtu.be/E3p\_Cv32tEo](https://youtu.be/E3p_Cv32tEo) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111664804027210704) 2024-01-02T16:14:41Z ****
(in all seriousness, though, this is a core value of mine - you don't have to care about having "nice" things and you absolutely shouldn't compare your standing in life with others by such petty things. You'll be much happier when you let that go, and better off, too! Finding fascination with the mundane is what keeps me going, and I'm so grateful I turned it into my job) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111687242992872242) 2024-01-02T16:11:15Z ****
Be still, my Midwestern heart, there's a TED talk about us

[https://youtu.be/AxxMiihvKgg](https://youtu.be/AxxMiihvKgg) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111687229488439698) 2024-01-12T20:42:55Z ****
I'm preparing for a test/experiment to occur with the cold weather we're about to have. That test involves mucking with my HVAC system and I needed to come up with a supplemental heat source for the crawlspace where my water comes in.

Well, here's 105 watts! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111744920826165658) 2024-01-15T16:43:31Z ****
"Heat pumps don't work in the cold"

Context: This is data from my mom and dad's new cold climate heat pump. While the system has been calling for heat continuously during this time, it has only needed to kick on the backup resistive heating in the deepest of cold, and even then only for a couple of hours overnight. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111760966387834126) 2024-01-15T16:50:03Z ****
Additional info:

They have a "3-ton" air-source heat pump (though, classifications are getting pretty nebulous with new tech - its theoretical peak output is actually closer to 4 ton) heating their approx. 1,700 square foot ranch home with a full finished basement. So roughly 3,400 sq. ft total (316 sq. meters).

I talked the installer out of jumping to a five ton and I'm glad I did. Newer homes are energy-efficient! Old rules need to go out the window (a video on which is coming... soonish) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111760992073736564) 2024-01-16T19:28:50Z ****
This evening I'll make a quick little Connextras video about this, I think. What exactly the issue is with the Tesla chargers is unclear, though I'm seeing reports that charge handles are plugging with ice - which seems reasonable. The worst aspect of Tesla's charger design is how poorly they retain the handle - it falls out easily and can end up face-down in snow. That needs improvement, and perhaps a heated connector makes sense in this climate.

Growing pains are real, but this is mostly FUD\* ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111767278764134997) 2024-01-16T19:26:14Z ****
So there's been some media stuff about Tesla chargers going down or getting long lines in this extreme cold we're having.

The factors there are complicated and mostly this is impacting people without charging at-home. As it happens, I'm now making a daily commute - just started in fact! And I'd like to report that my car is having no issues at all in this weather, and I haven't even plugged it in to charge in a few days. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111767268515691588) 2024-01-16T19:29:55Z ****
\*I apologize for using that term but it's true.

More AC charging everywhere is what we need - relying on DC chargers for your daily needs is just not good for lots of reasons.

That said, they need to be designed better so that this isn't an issue. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111767282998188870) 2024-02-02T16:27:03Z ****
I've got a new video out today, and making it it was truly a blast!

[https://youtu.be/AEm-2giH\_zw](https://youtu.be/AEm-2giH_zw) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111862823233475046) 2024-02-04T22:01:47Z ****
For reasons which are personal and too complicated to get into anyway, I've been living out of two places for like five years. That's coming to an end in fairly short order but the upshot is that I've been regularly switching back and forth between a high-end KitchenAid gas stove and a Whirlpool radiant (not induction!) electric stove.

Now, aside from the energy source, they are essentially the same model. The Whirlpool is just the more budget-focused option. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875464092692730) 2024-02-04T21:57:14Z ****
OK, time for a short\* thread\*\* about gas stoves. At this point, I have been \*thoroughly\* disillusioned and don't know how I ever thought they were any good. I never want one again\*\*\*

\\* I hope

\\*\\* Please read the whole thing (I'll mark the end) before replying, as I might be touching on your thought!

\\*\\*\\* Wok-users and enjoyers, boy do I have some interesting news for you about plug-in induction woks and how they're getting fairly cheap ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875446199734115) 2024-02-04T22:06:33Z ****
I had the KitchenAid gas stove first - I was able to pick out my appliances in my new home, regrettably everything was gas but at that point in time I legitimately still thought I preferred cooking with gas so I just went with it.

Lived with that stove for about a year and, aside from the back burners being utterly useless for anything other than simmering, thought I liked it.

Then, about a year later, I installed a range circuit at Place 2 to ditch its gas stove for air quality concerns. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875482800713082) 2024-02-04T22:12:47Z ****
My folks were over for Christmas and we had some potatoes O'Brien for breakfast - just a frozen mix you do up in a frying pan.

It was taking AGES. I could have sped it up moving over to the mega burner, but that would have made the searing heat coming around the sides of the pan even worse! It was damn-near painful to stir that stuff around with a wooden spoon, and it took like 20 minutes to fry up nicely.

They're not fast, folks! They just react quickly. That's it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875507314212841) 2024-02-04T22:10:26Z ****
That's the Whirlpool, and it marked the first time I was using an electric stove day-to-day since my childhood.

And ever since then, I've hated the KitchenAid stove at home more and more. It takes the oven much longer to preheat. It makes the kitchen hot as hell in the summer, and smelly whenever I use it - unless I have the vent fan blasting, that is.

The front-right burner makes the microwave handle above too hot to touch in a matter of minutes, and even worse? It's SLOW. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875498099161255) 2024-02-04T22:16:03Z ****
So, since I'll be spending less time at Place 2, I've made the decision - I'm ditching the stove at home.

I've made arrangement to have a range circuit installed, and I'll (eventually) be getting the electric version of the same KitchenAid stove (which is nearly functionally identical to the Whirlpool). I'm a sucker for those knurled handles with the red, what can I say?

And guess what? I'm not even going to go with induction. I like glass-top ceramic just fine. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875520195503198) 2024-02-04T22:24:28Z ****
I used the word hoodwinked earlier - perhaps gaslit would have been better!

But that's really what it feels like. How did I ever think I like the smelly, fumy, hot-AF cooking experience more? Why did I think electric stoves were so slow? How did these thoughts get in my head, and stay so pervasive?

And that's the end of the thread. You do you, I'm sure some folks out there still want gas stoves. I won't judge you - but my mind has been changed, and HARD. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875553248488523) 2024-02-04T22:22:13Z ****
Now, will I make a main channel video about the stove situation? Not sure. It will invite a lot of stupid comments, for sure.

But I can repeat the same experiments I did with the first stove rodeo, do it a little better, and it will (probably) be a swap to the SAME MODEL but gas rather than electric.

I'll definitely do more water-boiling timing, oven pre-heat time (I already know the electric will crush it) etc. at least for Connextras. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875544390898494) 2024-02-04T22:19:56Z ****
And to those Wok people - I bought an induction wok for $199 just the other day. Round-bottom wok and everything. I have virtually no cooking experience with a wok but would like to try it - and I'll probably be making a video about it, just as a PSA if nothing else.

Woks come up again and again as a sticking point in the gas stove discussion. There are multiple solutions out there. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875535458428334) 2024-02-04T22:18:14Z ****
And to make this anecdote EVEN MORE FUN - I reached out to a neighbor offering them my old stove. They, too, want to switch to electric!

They had an electric stove in the previous home, now have gas, and don't like it as well!

I almost feel hoodwinked. So many of the things I thought were "better" about gas just... aren't.

OK, you can light it with a match when the power's out. Great.

But they make the kitchen hot as hell, are painful to use, and aren't even fast. WTF. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875528750265845) 2024-02-04T22:28:49Z ****
I used the word hoodwinked earlier - perhaps gaslit would have been better!

But that's really what it feels like. How did I ever think I like the smelly, fumy, hot-AF cooking experience more? Why did I think electric stoves were so slow? How did these thoughts get in my head, and stay so pervasive?

And that's the end of the thread. You do you, I'm sure some folks out there still want gas stoves. I won't judge you - but my mind has been changed, and HARD. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111875570397710351) 2024-02-05T15:35:42Z ****
It's impressive how quickly that will boil water, and I do appreciate the fact that the surface doesn't really get that hot. But, after a holistic assessment, that's just not that important to me.

Also! The fact that I have the portable burner already, and that it currently lives right next to the stove so I can use it with a kettle or whatever else, means that I'm not exactly making a choice which denies me of induction. I still have it!

But it's truly not that big of a change for me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111879608246715706) 2024-02-05T15:32:03Z ****
Ok, with the gas stove thread, people won't stop asking why I'm not considering an induction cooktop. So here's another thread where I try to answer this.

Perhaps the bottom line is this: I'm a Midwesterner. It carries a lotta baggage.

To elucidate, first you should understand that I have tried induction! Not the best experiences of it, to be sure, but I've used two portable burners and found them both to be impressive (with a few caveats). But on the whole, not a game changer to me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111879593885941595) 2024-02-05T15:41:24Z ****
I have a range (single device, oven and cooktop) and I really have grown to love double-oven ranges. For whatever reason, there are almost no double-oven electric ranges with induction cooktops available right now.

Plus, only about half of my cookware works with induction, and when buying new cookware induction-compatibility remains something you need to seek out here, even with high-end stuff. It's gotten a lot better, but it's still something of a limitation. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111879630643701260) 2024-02-05T15:38:37Z ****
I have found radiant electric to be Perfectly Fine™

My brain can handle the thermal rubber band thing just fine, and to be honest the whole "the stove is too hot to touch for a few minutes" has never felt all that problematic. I'm used to a thing which produces an open flame, after all!

And to add to this even further, there's the weird spot the US is in right now with market penetration: ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111879619696858817) 2024-02-05T15:43:50Z ****
So, there ya go.

I still hugely prefer radiant electric over gas. I've found it to be much more powerful, hardly heats up the kitchen when in-use, and clicks with my brain just fine.

Would I like induction even better? Maybe. But aside from rapidly boiling water for pasta, which might only shave off five minutes anyway, the rest of its advantages just don't mean much to me.

Remember, I have tried it - and I still have the option to use it! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111879640231666625) 2024-02-15T14:05:01Z ****
Listening to NPR this morning, and apparently there are now influencers who have discovered what generic brands are. The kids are calling private-label products "dupes" and they're excitedly comparing them.

I've never felt so Midwestern and so old. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111935874769513471) 2024-02-26T17:27:30Z ****
If you've been watching my videos for a while, you may have noticed this Silvertone radio in the set. It's an AM/FM set from 1952.

I restored it when I was in high school (I think) by replacing its capacitors but never got into the habit of using it since its FM reception was a bit spotty.

Well I finally hooked up a decent antenna to it and while it's still not able to tune in perfectly well, it's been a pleasure to use this again! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111998956356635115) 2024-02-26T17:32:38Z ****
Note that the dial is separated between "Standard Broadcast" and "Frequency Modulation" - 1952 is quite early for FM radio and it was a new and weird thing. I've seen slightly-earlier sets which don't even use the same band!

Also interesting, like any tube radio it take about 10 seconds from power-up to produce any sound but on FM, it takes about 5 minutes for it to fully settle in. It's got a whine and lots of distortion at power-up which gradually improves. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111998976566740342) 2024-02-29T22:57:34Z ****
Heh, well I guess the Sharp Carousel Multiple Choice doesn't know what leap years are. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112017241153527969) 2024-03-06T04:11:55Z ****
Remember when I made that toot about side marker lamps on cars and a whole bunch of Europeans couldn't imagine a case where they were useful?

Well just tonight I found myself on the passenger's side of a big rig and was grateful the corners of my car had lights so its driver could actually see me in their convex mirrors. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112046788817581544) 2024-03-07T16:31:21Z ****
Gotta new video out today. It's a long one. And it's gonna rub a few HVAC professionals the wrong way, but a good lot of them need a stern talking to.

[https://youtu.be/DTsQjiPlksA](https://youtu.be/DTsQjiPlksA) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112055358657846829) 2024-03-07T16:40:06Z ****
Oh, right, there's a condensed version for those short on time or who want to share it with folks who might be put-off by my snarky cantankerousness

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_hAuKtoRxJI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hAuKtoRxJI) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112055393103627974) 2024-03-08T05:05:43Z ****
And tbh, what really gets me here is that you would \*think\* the more paranoid people who insist on going overboard would love the idea of having TWO heating systems in one.

Redundancies like that are pretty neat!

But it's different, so it's scary. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112058324991637232) 2024-03-08T05:03:20Z ****
One of the more frustrating parts of my job is when it becomes clear I didn't press enough on one of the finer details.

\*so many\* comments now are freaking out about how a right-sized heat pump leaves no room for error, when I thought I hedged against that by talking about supplemental heat sources (heat strips) and how they will work alongside the heat pump when needed.

Alas. Tons of people didn't grok that. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112058315582900627) 2024-03-08T17:19:01Z ****
This is the sort of crap which makes me wonder what on Earth people are learning.

Nothing quite so powerful as being sure of a wrong thing! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112061208434640494) 2024-03-11T20:08:02Z ****
Got into an interesting discussion on what matters in communication.

Nuance gets missed a lot when people tell half-truths. For instance, an astonishing amount of folks say they want gas as their heating system because of power outages.

Most gas-fired systems still need electricity to operate. Which, anyone who has lived with one during a power outage, already knows.

That half-truth is that a gas-fired system can more easily be supplied with emergency power. But most people don't have that. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112078859979749978) 2024-03-11T20:11:01Z ****
So does the point even deserve to be made?

Truly, I think it doesn't.

The loss of any primary system becomes an emergency in extreme cold. And you'd be better-off to prepare for that.

A gas-fired heating system is not preparation for that. It makes one consideration easier, sure. But first and foremost people need to make that consideration - which most don't.

And there are plenty of backup options. I, for one, would rather have some propane on-hand for a portable heater when shit hits fan. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112078871678757785) 2024-03-12T15:40:32Z ****
There are a lot of new realities here which a lot of people inside the industry (particularly on the residential side) just haven't experienced yet. And boy is it frustrating. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112083470388824500) 2024-03-12T15:37:40Z ****
That line about heat pumps being a modular toolkit?

Well, any decent heat pump now can operate at several capacities. If your heating load requires a 4-ton heat pump but you only need 2-tons of cooling, then you could \*absolutely\* use a 4-ton heat pump so long as it's configured to run as a 2-tonner in the summer.

This all gets back to weedsy details and not keeping up with the pace of innovation. Lots of well-intentioned misunderstandings in the industry still hanging on. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112083459173624765) 2024-03-12T15:35:19Z ****
OK, new thing to address in the Heat Pump Chronicles:

HVAC pros know a lot of stuff and have pretty elaborate mental frameworks of how things "should" be designed. And usually they're correct at least on a basic level.

For instance, you don't want to size a heat pump for heating load if you also plan to use it for cooling. If the heating load is bigger than the cooling load, this would result in short-cycling in the summer.

This is still true! But only with single-stage equipment. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112083449914114603) 2024-03-13T16:17:55Z ****
Just as one example: I am willing to bet a good half of technicians don't understand the difference between a circuit code and a performance code.

So for instance, you have a check engine light on because there's a problem with the EVAP vent solenoid.

A lotta techs fire the parts cannon the moment they see "EVAP vent solenoid" - but if the car reports a circuit code? It could be a wiring issue. That means the computer doesn't see the right signals coming back from the vent solenoid. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112089279719068369) 2024-03-13T16:15:06Z ****
Any mechanic who says this without bringing up the days of regular tune-ups, getting out the timing light to adjust the distributor, and all that jazz? They're more upset with the fact that recent cars require the use of diagnostic tools and \*logic\* to fix.

Now, there are some issues, particularly with documentation. But there are some true diagnostic geniuses out there and they aren't struggling. In fact, for them, this is easier than ever. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112089268637856032) 2024-03-13T16:12:41Z ****
A thought stirred by a jaded commenter:

One of the many half-truths that gets perpetuated is that new cars have many more issues than old cars and that they're only designed to make it past the warranty period before they crumble apart.

The average age of cars on the road keeps going up. That could not be possible if recently-made cars were in fact less reliable or repairable.

I would submit that the actual problem here? It's mechanics who don't keep up with the times. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112089259126889487) 2024-03-13T16:20:12Z ****
Sometimes? That will be the right move. If the coil in the solenoid has gone open or shorted, then that will be a circuit code.

But a technician worth their salt will test the integrity of the wiring between the ECM and the vent solenoid before making that conclusion.

Taking those extra steps isn't that hard, but through some combination of flat-rate pay (meaning techs are rushed), poor training, and an industry which doesn't care to be correct as much as make money, it often doesn't' happen. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112089288721923182) 2024-03-13T16:24:54Z ****
Well shit, I forgot this was Mastodon.

Trust me folks, I get the right to repair stuff. That issue is real and needs to be tackled (as well as flat-rate pay!).

You really don't have to assume if something isn't explicitly mentioned in a toot that I don't know or care about it. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112089307175292248) 2024-03-14T13:55:00Z ****
Definitions:

Trust busting was a thing Teddy Roosevelt was known for. A push to break up monopolies.

Muckraking (raking muck) is... journalism? But specifically, efforts to highlight some of the shady stuff that gets pushed to the bottom and the public is unaware of. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112094380089187663) 2024-03-14T13:52:46Z ****
Assuming enough Americans got the same middle school history classes that I did:

Remember trust busting and muckraking?

I think they're in for a comeback. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112094371306038662) 2024-03-16T17:07:59Z ****
Some links:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising\_of\_Chicago](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_of_Chicago)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago\_River#Reversing\_the\_flow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_River#Reversing_the_flow) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112106463508661574) 2024-03-16T17:07:37Z ****
As we do our silly Chicago tradition of dyeing the river a violent shade of green, I think it's a good time to remind people that our ancestors \*reversed the flow of the river\* to provide safe drinking water from Lake Michigan and earlier, in the 1860's, \*lifted the entire city\* to improve drainage and public health.

Remember that any time someone says heat pumps and renewable energy are hard. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112106462069010018) 2024-03-18T02:46:56Z ****
Oh look, a study pertinent to my interests:

[https://heatmap.news/economy/heat-pumps-national-renewable-energ-lab](https://heatmap.news/economy/heat-pumps-national-renewable-energ-lab) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112114402339179299) 2024-03-19T21:05:22Z ****
Hilton's Homewood Suites and Marriott's Towneplace Suites have been a thing for decades, then there's Extended Stay America and all sorts of other options, too.

Seemingly many people feel that Airbnb unlocked a new travel option for families but like, no. You just weren't looking that hard.

In fairness, the hotel industry apparently did a poor job marketing them. And rates were historically higher than Airbnb.

I'm just saying... they were always there. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112124383909686038) 2024-03-19T21:04:25Z ****
As someone whose previous line of work was in the hotel industry, I have to say I find it very funny how many people, with the backlash against Airbnb, are just now discovering that extended stay hotels with full kitchens and multi-bedroom suites exist.

They're not new, folks! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112124380164265450) 2024-03-28T15:22:02Z ****
A cursed fact I just learned:

The house used for exteriors of Truman's house in The Truman Show is owned by the Gaetz family.

Yes, that Gaetz. Matt Gaetz. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112173994660384972) 2024-03-29T19:51:19Z ****
For reference, this is the post:

[https://hackers.town/@earthshine/112174209944026016](https://hackers.town/@earthshine/112174209944026016)

I think it's humorous and nothing more. A blunder in a cutesy application of the Union Jack.

The real problem, as ever, is that we allow brake lights to also function as turn signals in the first place. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112180715820937138) 2024-03-29T19:49:45Z ****
Several people now have tagged me in the Mini arrow-lookin'-tail light thing.

You're correct that it bothers me but you're incorrect if you think the arrow part has much to do with it.

It's bothersome to me only because it's a combined brake and turn indicator!

I am surprised at folks who think the resemblance to an arrow pointing the wrong way is actually confusing: I find it extremely unlikely that people even parse the presence of the arrow over which side of the vehicle is flashing. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112180709670507181) 2024-03-29T20:56:34Z ****
OK - information has come to light and I'm more willing than I was to believe this may actually be problematic. In the interest of science, a poll:

When you see this video, which is your immediate conclusion about the driver's intent?

Right turn

Left turn ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112180972386459358) 2024-04-01T13:04:19Z ****
Today's video is twice as illuminating as usual

[https://youtu.be/ZcH0j7tOrDA](https://youtu.be/ZcH0j7tOrDA) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112196102341543435) 2024-04-02T16:31:30Z ****
This is a reality which sucks. And I know that full-well.

But it's one of the central ways we get held back from making important changes. The status quo preys on people believing we can't do things - so if you believe we need to change? Be careful that you're not playing into that hand. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112202579335617750) 2024-04-02T16:31:17Z ****
Real talk time:

"Just asking questions" is a weapon. We know full-well that some people exploit it to feign innocence when deliberately throwing noise into discussions. And it works in large part because it encourages otherwise earnest discussions which then contribute to the noise.

So be careful. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112202578511918209) 2024-04-04T16:45:16Z ****
I finally made a video about this bullshit

[https://youtu.be/upLSYyprib8](https://youtu.be/upLSYyprib8) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112213958129163549) 2024-04-05T00:07:51Z ****
A podcast called "the lookout for that" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112215698410979118) 2024-04-06T01:23:01Z ****
NOTE TO LITERALLY THE ENTIRE INTERNET:

No thought is ever complete. There will always be holes to fill!

RESIST THE URGE TO FILL THOSE HOLES

If someone has said something which you largely agree with, especially if what they said aligns with your understanding of and goals towards an issue, then the LAST thing they need from you is someone playing devil's advocate. Nitpicking is annoying at best and, in a world where people are looking to drive wedges between allies, dangerous at worst. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112221656304708363) 2024-04-06T01:26:34Z ****
If someone appears to be on your side broadly but hasn't specifically addressed your pet issue, that doesn't mean they don't know about your issue! They just haven't explicitly mentioned it.

If you'd like, take a "yes, and" approach. Increasing awareness of issues is always good (so long as they're real issues, of course).

Never, under any circumstances, should you take the omission of your fixation to mean they aren't on your side. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112221670267785338) 2024-04-06T22:22:15Z ****
Hey! Remember those toots from yesterday of mine? I've got a name now for the phenomenon I've been picking at:

Weak Induction

I'm probably not using it correctly in this explanation, but this is when you're looking at something (say an online post) and, because you have a brain which is constantly looking for patterns and motives, you induce things about what the author means.

But watch out for weak inductions! If what you assert isn't plainly there in the post, you might be on about nothing! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112226607795971711) 2024-04-06T22:24:41Z ****
There are a whole lotta ways this manifests:

"Your silence on horses is telling."

"I like pancakes"

"So you hate waffles?"

"You didn't mention the affects of zoning on housing policy in this 500 character post, therefore I know you don't know what you're talking about"

Please check yourself for when this might happen. It's so easy to interpret something which isn't there, craft an internal monologue about it, and keep on arguing as though the phantom you saw matters in the first place. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112226617340621753) 2024-04-10T01:28:45Z ****
wisdom of the elders:

we used to make tiny little hard disk drives for ipods ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112244328084785831) 2024-04-10T17:54:29Z ****
"These words I'm reading aren't precisely 100% in agreement with my mental framework of the thing I believe you're talking about and I need you to know that" describes a solid two-thirds\* of replies on Fedi.

\*can't wait for what that brings ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112248204160172591) 2024-04-11T01:16:18Z ****
I say that not out of pure naivete but because it seems to fit well and align with so many problems that have been relentlessly getting worse since the turn of the century. Making weak inductions about what everybody says is an easy and quick way to filter everyone through the binary of friend and foe, then confirmation bias only magnifies the weak inductions and now no two people hear the same thing from the same message.

Perhaps wrongly, I sense we might be slowly coming down from that. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112249941451488591) 2024-04-11T01:11:33Z ****
I'm gonna try and post more fun stuff here because more fun and less \*gestures broadly\* is really what I'd like to see out of this place.

But by golly ever since being enlightened to the term (and phenomenon) weak induction, it's been stuck in my craw like nothing else. I'm just seeing it happen over and over and over again.

And I'm starting to wonder how much the prevalence of that phenomenon might contribute to the political polarization we're experiencing. Maybe it's starting to crack. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112249922774074911) 2024-04-11T15:20:31Z ****
In the latest edition of "complicated communication misfires I want to pick at," remember that your knowledge isn't always common.

People form simple opinions about complex issues. The mind you may find yourself arguing with doesn't necessarily have ANY awareness of the complexities and nuances of the thing they're arguing about. They may very well be parroting talking points which were fed to them.

If you're arguing presuming they know the roots of a systemic problem, you could be wrong. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112253261046093353) 2024-04-11T15:23:44Z ****
And consider what that looks like from the other side:

"Suddenly this person is bringing up outside issues to muddy the conversation! The people I watch on the news warned me about this. They won't stay on topic because they're disingenuous and they know it."

We have to listen to each other and engage with the individual things we are wrong about. We have to be very careful about labeling an entire person as "wrong." That presumes they cannot change or improve themselves: a very dangerous idea ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112253273679087273) 2024-04-11T17:44:30Z ****
This is precisely what I meant earlier by "resist the urge to fill those holes"

Only subject-matter experts can see those holes in the first place. Many of your fellow humans do not have the skills or affordances to become the subject-matter expert you are. Remember that before you assume your voice is needed and you make an enemy for no reason. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112253827157211393) 2024-04-11T17:42:58Z ****
I put my thoughts on the skeet place and I want to highlight this reply I got.

I think a large number of people who are active here specifically need to hear this perspective. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112253821160545084) 2024-04-13T00:44:58Z ****
OK, this place. I've been pretty heady lately and not very technology-y.

So to make up for it, you can have this picture. As a treat. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112261142830841836) 2024-04-20T02:33:03Z ****
I have apparently developed a knack for going on a grocery run and loading my fridge up with stuff juuuuust before it hits a defrost cycle.

It's happened like three times this year! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112301204024051791) 2024-04-20T02:35:51Z ****
"why aren't you running, you should be running, I put a bunch of sparkle water and crap inside you"

"yeah, chief, I noticed that but golly gee right this very moment I think I'm gonna need to just stop for a half hour and melt the ice on my coils. please enjoy the slurpy hissy sounds" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112301215055859598) 2024-04-23T14:50:34Z ****
I don't know who needs to hear this (that's a lie: ~80% of drivers) but when you're in a turn lane or an exit only lane, you should still signal to confirm to those around you that you are aware of the lane you're in and where it's about to go. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112321091004443319) 2024-04-23T16:36:59Z ****
A point of clarification:

If a new lane appears which you have to enter in order to exit, once there I consider that "on the ramp" - your choice to move into it is clear enough.

I'm mainly talking about lanes which become exit-only up ahead.

To describe this more generally, if there's a situation where an inattentive driver could find themselves on a path they don't mean to take, then if you, the attentive driver, intend to take that path - signal to confirm this.

Don't make people guess. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112321509441154773) 2024-04-24T15:09:20Z ****
Things are really heating up in this new video:

[https://youtu.be/ff04ecF9Dfw](https://youtu.be/ff04ecF9Dfw) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112326827053479665) 2024-04-24T21:32:20Z ****
Proposal to refer to solar arrays as amp farms. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112328333128752113) 2024-04-29T15:28:35Z ****
Anybody need a wet wipe?

[https://youtu.be/TLm7Q92xMjQ](https://youtu.be/TLm7Q92xMjQ) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112355214324565214) 2024-05-04T17:00:26Z ****
Real thought:

What depresses me most about the state of the world at present is that we've stopped caring to live up to the spirit of our ideals.

When we fail them and are pressed, we can rationalize our terrible actions based on technicalities - and large swaths of our culture have normalized doing this very thing.

It is my most sincere hope that we can walk our way back from this. I see some signs of this, but would prefer to see many more. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112383887027288709) 2024-05-13T02:26:31Z ****
Just having a wild night over here. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112431411474078664) 2024-05-15T19:53:25Z ****
New Internet Annoyance Unlocked:

Nitpickers who know a lot about specific things chipping away at (and not seeing) a holistic argument. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112446852686266414) 2024-05-16T19:34:38Z ****
Scantron, Pennsylvania ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112452441140375519) 2024-05-27T17:00:35Z ****
Who wants to get tilted?

[https://youtu.be/XeDCCNFAULk](https://youtu.be/XeDCCNFAULk) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112514120773301485) 2024-06-02T18:35:36Z ****
Cicadas are here ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112548468287206851) 2024-06-02T18:43:36Z ****
Other photos:

The emergence around me seems much less coordinated than 2007 (granted I don't live where I did then, though I'm not too far away). I think this was because we never got a deep soaking rain until yesterday. They've been emerging in pockets across the area as little rain storms popped across but after yesterday's soaking a whole bunch more have come out (some are still molting!) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112548499730132277) 2024-06-05T16:31:33Z ****
My charge from last night on a 30A charger (7.2 kW at 240V).

This is why I'm always harping on the "stop installing giant charger circuits" thing! Even this is a luxury - I only charge about weekly or if I make a long trip.

For USians, a 10 gauge run of wiring will deliver 5 kW sustained. You'll only ever think that's slow if you drive a TON and/or have a really big vehicle.

Especially if you're thinking of DIYing an install, 10 gauge is so much easier to deal with. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112564967396485491) 2024-06-05T16:36:24Z ****
There are a lot of factors to consider if you are able to install a charger circuit, but you can open up many headaches if you insist on running a 50 amp circuit. Especially if you've got limited electric service.

5kW chargers deliver roughly 15 miles of range per hour. So in an 8 hour overnight charge you can expect 100 miles easily.

My personal opinion is that unless you have an extreme commute or a big truck of an EV, 5kW is plenty, 7kW is luxurious, & anything above is probably not needed. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112564986447955760) 2024-06-10T20:54:55Z ****
I'm gonna be trying something different out tomorrow. Something between a re-do and a re-run.

It's a new shoot using almost entirely old B-roll and a significant re-work of the script. Basically, I wanted to combine the two dishwasher videos into one sub-half-hour video focused more on "tips and tricks" and less on my opinions on detergent (though you bet it still contains opinions on detergent!). ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112594314545108418) 2024-06-11T15:39:15Z ****
This again?

This again.

[https://youtu.be/jHP942Livy0](https://youtu.be/jHP942Livy0) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112598735629076376) 2024-06-12T16:49:15Z ****
Troubleshooting is a skill. I don't know how exactly it can be taught, but we should absolutely be teaching it.

I have never used a scissor lift in my life prior to this point but I know enough about machines at this point to realize something is wrong. And with an error code, the machine will tell you what's wrong.

It's up to you to connect these things together - and that's honestly a guiding light in my work. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112604673163009850) 2024-06-12T16:46:59Z ****
I found a document that explained this meant there was a fault in the pothole protection board.

Not knowing what that was, I then searched for "pothole board sinoboom" and found that there are limit switches which detect that these little side-plates which swing out as the lift goes up have actually deployed. The board wasn't seeing that switch input.

So, I figured out where that switch was and discovered it was sticking. I exercised it a bit and the lift was fixed. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112604664244828430) 2024-06-12T16:44:24Z ****
I'd like to tell a quick story about successful troubleshooting.

A few months ago I rented a scissor lift to install lighting at my new office. When it arrived, the delivery person gave me a quick demo and off he went.

Well, when I went to actually use it - the lift went up by about a foot then stopped and screamed beeps of terror. It was broken!

But the display on the control read "18"

Rather than call the rental company, I searched "sinoboom fault code 18" to see what that meant. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112604654124836794) 2024-06-13T01:50:37Z ****
Scene: a facilities manager, having just ordered bathroom supplies, is out to lunch.

"Do you think the menu's this huge at the urinal cake factory?" ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112606801894606843) 2024-06-13T01:54:47Z ****
I realize the target audience for this joke is a subsection of a subsection of a subsection of a subsection of the population but urinal cake factory popped in my head and it had to get out one way or another ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112606818280118685) 2024-06-25T01:41:18Z ****
So I just got back from a Menards run and I've noticed something fascinating:

Menards has always had a lot of store brands. But they're really pushing a new food brand called Marcella. Stuff like coffee, jams and jellies, prepared foods, sodas, etc. A lot of it is fairly unique - I bought a maraschino cherry cola on a whim and it was pretty great!

The weird part? They're pricing this in-house stuff \*higher\* than name brands. The soda was a tad more expensive than the Sprecher's next to it! ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112674712994504469) 2024-06-25T01:45:35Z ****
This is a very Menards thing to do. They're... crafty.

They've got so many weird but well-presented brands that you're not going to know are theirs unless you look closely and find "distributed by Menard inc" on there somewhere. It's almost impressive!

And I mean... so long as it's actually good (we'll see what that apple pie jam is like later) I suppose why not? But it's very weird and very Menards. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112674729825563454) 2024-06-26T14:15:57Z ****
WBEZ just had a pledge drive and didn't meet their goals.

NPR has its problems, but your local station does really valuable journalism for your area and it's accessible to all.

If you haven't listened to your local affiliate or checked out their website, see what you think of their work. If you find it valuable, and you have the means, I think it's good to support such work. Especially now, good, accessible journalism covering your local area and not just national news is important to preserve ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112683342707638652) 2024-07-01T14:22:04Z ****
Gotta new video today for ya.

It's time to make fun of RCA again!

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGT1EvmDJh4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGT1EvmDJh4) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112711678315337741) 2024-07-15T14:57:15Z ****
As the general vibe heats up, why not distract yourself with a way to keep cool that we abandoned for some reason?

[https://youtu.be/uhbDfi7Ee7k](https://youtu.be/uhbDfi7Ee7k) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112791089049228984) 2024-07-15T17:15:05Z ****
OK, so of course there's now a rolladen vs. awning debate going on and, I kid you not, there's somebody out there who thinks the fact that rolladen blocks the view when in use is irrelevant because "the reason we had windows was to let in natural light and with efficient LEDs we don't need that anymore"

Sure, pal. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112791631007608842) 2024-07-16T17:25:58Z ****
Confidence is not "I know what I'm doing."

Confidence is "I know how to find that out" and "I know how to learn new things" and most importantly "I know when I don't know what I'm doing, so I stop and find someone who does"

Obnoxious blowhards rely on people not understanding this distinction. And they amplify it by framing actual confidence as weakness.

This may be a useful thing to talk about with certain people in your life who are being fooled by fascists. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112797336118352061) 2024-07-17T20:14:46Z ****
Bad news, folks, I've officially relegated VGA cables to "weird old computer stuff" and out of standard A/V cables. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112803662191483346) 2024-07-21T14:17:01Z ****
This may be my new favorite thrift store mug ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112824904679399179) 2024-07-25T16:44:37Z ****
I made this simple video just to prove to myself that I can do that. Oh and also you'll learn something cool probably.

[https://youtu.be/XRCprhlz4D8](https://youtu.be/XRCprhlz4D8) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112848134282247406) 2024-07-28T02:14:38Z ****
I have made a discovery ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112861700294572883) 2024-08-20T15:59:38Z ****
FYI my last boost?

That's why I don't hang out here so much anymore.

Kind of a drag to see someone share a video of mine then deal with that kind of sentiment.

Also I'd really like to be able to quote toot but alas... ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112995177480955078) 2024-08-20T16:01:29Z ****
A screenshot for posterity ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112995184785622503) 2024-08-20T16:52:24Z ****
I don't like being a whiny person, so largely I'm not. I recognize I've won life's lottery in lots of ways and have privileges many, MANY people don't.

But I am still a person.

And while I'm grateful for all the supportive replies I get here, there's sincerely about a 1:1 ratio between those and replies which push me away.

It is simply not fun for me to be here. And I'm damn sure that's not my problem. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112995384978750186) 2024-08-20T16:49:19Z ****
Look, I'm gonna lay this out on the line:

This place is fucking shit for my mental health.

It's that simple!

And it is \*not\* helped that any time I voice this, I get replies which one way or another make it clear it's my problem to solve. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/112995372890737651) 2024-08-22T17:44:11Z ****
i made a video about a thing which is everywhere but nobody ever thinks about

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Q87w8uhwg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Q87w8uhwg) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113006913231726446) 2024-08-22T21:49:04Z ****
So next time someone shares a YouTube video with you and you want to be a stick in the mud about that, remember that everyone has their own paths to knowledge \*and\* their own way to spread knowledge.

"this could have been an article"

Yeah it could be, and in fact it is! Anyone could look up door closers on Wikipedia and get the gist of my video's information.

But many millions of people don't even know they're called door closers. Hell, I didn't! Not until I needed to install one. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113007876153275112) 2024-08-22T21:42:52Z ****
Ya know what? I'm gonna toot my own horn today On Here Specifically.

I have already received at least a dozen thankful comments/replies for letting people know they can slow down door closers. A lot of people have been living with irritating bangs in apartment buildings and whatnot.

And thanks to watching a YouTube video, their life is now better. I didn't sell anything to them, I just decided to share some knowledge in my own (hopefully entertaining) way. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113007851768929530) 2024-08-22T21:52:27Z ****
Now, people browsing YouTube looking for something to watch are getting a helpful video with a thumbnail and title that makes clear "this is a door closer, they are adjustable, I will show you how to slow them down" and they're going to learn a lot of cool shit if they click through.

That's why I do this. And please feel free to bookmark this thread in case you'd like to educate one of the loud YouTube/video haters for me. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113007889458317292) 2024-08-31T14:29:54Z ****
video time

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzJKxUCKOBg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzJKxUCKOBg) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113057110038974313) 2024-09-22T18:57:53Z ****
let's learn why Peltier devices are not actually very cool in this new video:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnMRePtHMZY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnMRePtHMZY) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113182734642134228) 2024-10-08T17:28:19Z ****
ok so I made a new video

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsA3X40nz9w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsA3X40nz9w) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113272979424492230) 2024-10-16T14:56:43Z ****
I made a new video about a thing which I'm fairly sure most everybody using this platform will already know about!

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkIR23emsWY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkIR23emsWY) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113317681795172498) 2024-10-18T19:35:25Z ****
backing up the last project file and it would fill 220 CD-ROMs.

with a 52X CD drive, that would take some 7+ hours of write/read time and who knows how much extra time shuffling discs around. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113330102324314118) 2024-10-18T21:20:02Z ****
My Twitter account had been locked for something like 2 years.

It is now gone.

And aside from the occasional in-video references to it, the links have been removed from my YouTube channel. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113330513668151679) 2024-10-31T18:28:49Z ****
I have been working on this video in the background for months, and I barely got it together before no effort november.

So let's learn about freeze dryers and how bonkers it is to own one (in my opinion, anyway)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Namf-Ddo\_Xo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Namf-Ddo_Xo) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113403450426522679) 2024-11-07T02:11:18Z ****
There's a whole host of good people out there who - believe it or not! - are still using cold war vocabulary. They have not read the theory and whipping out "capitalism bad" freaks them the fuck out.

They usually want the same thing as you do, but it's your job to help them see it. And it starts with meeting them where they're at. Step 1. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113439242858792256) 2024-11-07T02:07:43Z ****
In re: some conversations I've had in other places (real and online)

A lot of people in leftist circles seem to begin conversations on step 8 and are surprised when the person they're talking to isn't receptive.

Ya gotta start on step 1. ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113439228778559485) 2024-11-11T14:29:28Z ****
ok. air fryers.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h9JhW-m35o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h9JhW-m35o) ⌘ [Read more](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/113464794725832554)