Felladonna
@langsec.hacker.gf
An alter ego. Nightmare fuel chemist stealing electricity from the alternator of the world. AuDHD, 🇺🇲/🇧🇪, music, machining, lapidary, cats. Pronouns: first and second person ones, darling.
trying to come up with a dome pun for the iran-contra affair, but that story broke far enough into reagan's second term that I'm not sure if it even counts as derailing in the first place
November 15, 2025 at 9:32 AM
trying to come up with a dome pun for the iran-contra affair, but that story broke far enough into reagan's second term that I'm not sure if it even counts as derailing in the first place
learned helplessness and not invented here syndrome, name a worse combination
November 15, 2025 at 1:49 AM
learned helplessness and not invented here syndrome, name a worse combination
five bucks says he's not factoring in the indirect replacement costs, like transport and disposal
pointing this out might help, but you may just have to bulldoze him
pointing this out might help, but you may just have to bulldoze him
November 15, 2025 at 1:37 AM
five bucks says he's not factoring in the indirect replacement costs, like transport and disposal
pointing this out might help, but you may just have to bulldoze him
pointing this out might help, but you may just have to bulldoze him
nope. quotes are just a cost of doing business. this is also the case for car repair
November 15, 2025 at 1:23 AM
nope. quotes are just a cost of doing business. this is also the case for car repair
google photos recently made a collection for me of eight adorable cat pics and one shot of the bruise on my foot after I dropped a 5kg weight plate on it
November 15, 2025 at 12:37 AM
google photos recently made a collection for me of eight adorable cat pics and one shot of the bruise on my foot after I dropped a 5kg weight plate on it
get three quotes from professionals, parts and labor
don't waste time on vendors who hem and haw on the labor estimate, just hang up and call the next one
they'll likely want to see the machine in person before committing to a quote. this is normal and fine and your folks will have to suck it up
don't waste time on vendors who hem and haw on the labor estimate, just hang up and call the next one
they'll likely want to see the machine in person before committing to a quote. this is normal and fine and your folks will have to suck it up
November 15, 2025 at 12:33 AM
get three quotes from professionals, parts and labor
don't waste time on vendors who hem and haw on the labor estimate, just hang up and call the next one
they'll likely want to see the machine in person before committing to a quote. this is normal and fine and your folks will have to suck it up
don't waste time on vendors who hem and haw on the labor estimate, just hang up and call the next one
they'll likely want to see the machine in person before committing to a quote. this is normal and fine and your folks will have to suck it up
we actually have three socialist parties and a communist party, although the communists don't currently have any seats in the federal parliament. also one of the socialist parties is in the current governing coalition but the other two aren't
November 15, 2025 at 12:09 AM
we actually have three socialist parties and a communist party, although the communists don't currently have any seats in the federal parliament. also one of the socialist parties is in the current governing coalition but the other two aren't
I went ahead and wrote up the story, in case you're interested bsky.app/profile/lang...
that time my dad went full on guerrilla activist inside exxonmobil: a thread
my dad is a chemical engineer and spent his whole career there. during the '70s oil crisis, one of his first projects was a pilot oil shale refinery. exxon bought some land in colorado for this, including water rights
my dad is a chemical engineer and spent his whole career there. during the '70s oil crisis, one of his first projects was a pilot oil shale refinery. exxon bought some land in colorado for this, including water rights
water law can get super weird sometimes
back in the early 2000s, my dad got bored at work and spent several months (successfully!) convincing exxonmobil to donate a bunch of water they weren't using to the state and people of colorado during a drought
back in the early 2000s, my dad got bored at work and spent several months (successfully!) convincing exxonmobil to donate a bunch of water they weren't using to the state and people of colorado during a drought
November 14, 2025 at 7:39 PM
I went ahead and wrote up the story, in case you're interested bsky.app/profile/lang...
dad stayed on long enough to take early retirement, because the real estate department didn't get any more interesting after that
but I like this story because it's an example of spotting an opportunity for the unlikeliest people to do the right thing and getting them to do it anyway
-fin-
but I like this story because it's an example of spotting an opportunity for the unlikeliest people to do the right thing and getting them to do it anyway
-fin-
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
dad stayed on long enough to take early retirement, because the real estate department didn't get any more interesting after that
but I like this story because it's an example of spotting an opportunity for the unlikeliest people to do the right thing and getting them to do it anyway
-fin-
but I like this story because it's an example of spotting an opportunity for the unlikeliest people to do the right thing and getting them to do it anyway
-fin-
eventually he got to present to the c-suite, who were apparently much quicker to see that you can't even buy the kind of pr that giving away natural resources can get you, especially if you weren't using the resources anyway
was it self-serving of them? yes, of course
did it help people? also yes
was it self-serving of them? yes, of course
did it help people? also yes
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
eventually he got to present to the c-suite, who were apparently much quicker to see that you can't even buy the kind of pr that giving away natural resources can get you, especially if you weren't using the resources anyway
was it self-serving of them? yes, of course
did it help people? also yes
was it self-serving of them? yes, of course
did it help people? also yes
thus began several months of having the same conversation with middle managers of increasingly inflated titles
dad: *gives presentation*
middle manager: "that's great, how much do you figure we can sell it for?"
dad: "nothing, because that would be illegal. we can keep it or give it away"
dad: *gives presentation*
middle manager: "that's great, how much do you figure we can sell it for?"
dad: "nothing, because that would be illegal. we can keep it or give it away"
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
thus began several months of having the same conversation with middle managers of increasingly inflated titles
dad: *gives presentation*
middle manager: "that's great, how much do you figure we can sell it for?"
dad: "nothing, because that would be illegal. we can keep it or give it away"
dad: *gives presentation*
middle manager: "that's great, how much do you figure we can sell it for?"
dad: "nothing, because that would be illegal. we can keep it or give it away"
dad: "so you mean we could just give it away to help alleviate the drought that's going on right now?"
water lawyer: "... I mean, you could try"
friends, never underestimate the power of an autistic man with too much time on his hands at the office
water lawyer: "... I mean, you could try"
friends, never underestimate the power of an autistic man with too much time on his hands at the office
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
dad: "so you mean we could just give it away to help alleviate the drought that's going on right now?"
water lawyer: "... I mean, you could try"
friends, never underestimate the power of an autistic man with too much time on his hands at the office
water lawyer: "... I mean, you could try"
friends, never underestimate the power of an autistic man with too much time on his hands at the office
one day, after a meeting, he got to talking with one of exxon's water lawyers and learned that the property still had water rights attached from a nearby reservoir, with the contractual stipulation that they could do anything they wanted with their water allotment *except* sell it
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
one day, after a meeting, he got to talking with one of exxon's water lawyers and learned that the property still had water rights attached from a nearby reservoir, with the contractual stipulation that they could do anything they wanted with their water allotment *except* sell it
occasionally, other companies wanted to negotiate easements over the land, and they needed someone who had been on that project to advise. my dad was literally the only person who had worked on it and was still at the company, which is how he found himself transferred to the real estate department
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
occasionally, other companies wanted to negotiate easements over the land, and they needed someone who had been on that project to advise. my dad was literally the only person who had worked on it and was still at the company, which is how he found himself transferred to the real estate department
higher management decided the process was too inefficient, so they ended the project. they kept the land, though, because why wouldn't you
in 1998, exxon and mobil merged. the process of combining their assets was long and arduous, and somewhere in there, someone noticed "hey we have this land"
in 1998, exxon and mobil merged. the process of combining their assets was long and arduous, and somewhere in there, someone noticed "hey we have this land"
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
higher management decided the process was too inefficient, so they ended the project. they kept the land, though, because why wouldn't you
in 1998, exxon and mobil merged. the process of combining their assets was long and arduous, and somewhere in there, someone noticed "hey we have this land"
in 1998, exxon and mobil merged. the process of combining their assets was long and arduous, and somewhere in there, someone noticed "hey we have this land"
water law can get super weird sometimes
back in the early 2000s, my dad got bored at work and spent several months (successfully!) convincing exxonmobil to donate a bunch of water they weren't using to the state and people of colorado during a drought
back in the early 2000s, my dad got bored at work and spent several months (successfully!) convincing exxonmobil to donate a bunch of water they weren't using to the state and people of colorado during a drought
November 14, 2025 at 6:50 PM
water law can get super weird sometimes
back in the early 2000s, my dad got bored at work and spent several months (successfully!) convincing exxonmobil to donate a bunch of water they weren't using to the state and people of colorado during a drought
back in the early 2000s, my dad got bored at work and spent several months (successfully!) convincing exxonmobil to donate a bunch of water they weren't using to the state and people of colorado during a drought
I'm also a fan of "if he was on fire and I had a bucket of water, I'd drink it"
November 14, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I'm also a fan of "if he was on fire and I had a bucket of water, I'd drink it"
right, if they're going to pretend that's their justification, they don't get to pretend it wasn't when it's convenient to do so
November 14, 2025 at 4:55 PM
right, if they're going to pretend that's their justification, they don't get to pretend it wasn't when it's convenient to do so
plus there's very little more satisfying than getting to tell the suits "you did this to yourselves" with impunity
November 14, 2025 at 4:47 PM
plus there's very little more satisfying than getting to tell the suits "you did this to yourselves" with impunity
there's this terrific lady who works in one of the city hall satellite offices here who I saw a lot of when I was on my way to permanent residency here
she told me a recent office survey had asked staff what would make their jobs better, and she'd answered "just give everyone PR right out the gate"
she told me a recent office survey had asked staff what would make their jobs better, and she'd answered "just give everyone PR right out the gate"
November 14, 2025 at 4:41 PM
there's this terrific lady who works in one of the city hall satellite offices here who I saw a lot of when I was on my way to permanent residency here
she told me a recent office survey had asked staff what would make their jobs better, and she'd answered "just give everyone PR right out the gate"
she told me a recent office survey had asked staff what would make their jobs better, and she'd answered "just give everyone PR right out the gate"
oh huh, that's on my usual driving route to berlin, about 4.5 hours from my house
if it's time sensitive I'll have to pass, but if it can wait till the second half of december, sure, I'll visit the gay sheep
if it's time sensitive I'll have to pass, but if it can wait till the second half of december, sure, I'll visit the gay sheep
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 PM
oh huh, that's on my usual driving route to berlin, about 4.5 hours from my house
if it's time sensitive I'll have to pass, but if it can wait till the second half of december, sure, I'll visit the gay sheep
if it's time sensitive I'll have to pass, but if it can wait till the second half of december, sure, I'll visit the gay sheep