Cup of Coffee

October 14, 2022: New Coffee Maker

48 Comments

Actually, I recently got a new Keurig at the office. I'm trying not to use it too much, and trying to find eco-friendly & re-usable pods. So far, mixed results.

48 thoughts on “October 14, 2022: New Coffee Maker”

  1. Capitalism can kiss my ass. I got let go today, if anyone would like an update on my fight against returning to the office.

    4. Co-sign. You fought the good fight. We can call it what it is: your former employer is insistent on worker-hostile policies that accelerate climate change in order to prioritize a management culture that is increasingly dubious and frequently devoid of data to support its insistence on outmoded work modes.

      My perception is the insistence on return to on-site work is largely a collusion of middle management, which wants to justify not only its existence but also avoid having to develop new management techniques, with upper management, which wants to get value for sunk capital costs. At least where I work, middle management is perfectly content to continue paying dead weight employees who come to campus but accomplish the minimum, often to the lowest standards possible. But they get really wound around the axle when top performers insist on being able to maintain as close to fully-remote as possible after they adapted their lives to that work over nearly two years. Nobody I know who works majority or entirely remote is demanding to never have to attend an in-person meeting on campus or anything; we get that in-person is sometimes the optimal format. But nobody is under the impression that something magical happens by us taking up physical space on campus every day when we don’t work directly with students.

      1. I mean, I don't know if this has anything to do with my stance against WFH. I think they are trying to kill off the department I worked in. Nine people were let go, six of them over 50, two people in their 30's and me. It very much smacks of "get rid of the biggest paychecks" and I hope it absolutely blows up in their faces.

    5. The Mrs. recently went through basically the same thing at her work. They demanded everyone return to the office. The only reason that they could come up with is 'because that's how we've always done it'.

    7. As an aide, I am getting seven weeks severance plus four weeks of PTO paid out, and my wife is a public health employee so insurance isn't an issue. So I do have time to find something, hopefully for a non-shitty company for a change.

    8. Sorry to hear that. I hope it turns out for the best, that you eventually find a better job, but I know that thought is probably not much comfort right now. Hang in there.

  4. Colonoscopy #3 is in the books. Those of you on the 10yr plans and not the 5yr, count your blessings.

    I come from a long line of sleepers, so the anesthesia is a welcome respite from the day. Meanwhile, one polyp - par for the course.

    Now, off for some NY style pizza

    2. Congrats on the good result.

      Had my 4th since I transitioned to the 5 year plan last year. The VA hasn’t transitioned to the more modern prep methods, so I still get to drink the gallon of colo-blast every time.

    3. That reminds me. My mom had one recently, and they told her that her children should start them at age 40. Whelp, guess I should get one scheduled

        1. Hmmm, my dad did tell me polyps are common in our family so I should probably ask my doctor about this sort of thing.

    4. I recently read the results of a study on colonoscopies. Can't find it right now and I am at work. I seem to remember the people conducting the study were a bit disappointed and surprised by the results. Doesn't change the fact that I will keep getting mine. Just found it interesting. Also, almost 20 years since I started following the original SBG site. There wasn't as many conversations about colonoscopies back then.

      1. It tended to show as being important to those who had them, but not as detrimental as expected to those who didn't; the thinking is that those who knew they had a familial predisposition tended to choose to get them, making the set of those who do not to be (potentially) less at risk in the first place. In any case, the study is difficult to do as there are no placebo colonoscopies.

      2. This study?

        The trial’s primary analysis found that colonoscopy only cut colon cancer risk by roughly a fifth, far below past estimates of the test’s efficacy, and didn’t provide any significant reduction in colon cancer mortality.

        1. Of the participants who were invited to colonoscopy, only 42% actually did one.

          The experimental treatment was invitation to have a colonoscopy, not the colonoscopy itself.

          A secondary analysis also offers another silver lining, Gupta said. When the investigators compared just the 42% of participants in the invited group who actually showed up for a colonoscopy to the control group, they saw about a 30% reduction in colon cancer risk and a 50% reduction in colon cancer death.

          I'ma still gonna have my next colonoscopy next year when I turn 60.

    1. As the Madison Curling Club is a fairly large voice in the US curling world, I am really hoping our board responds appropriately. A lot of clubs have already called for USCA to basically clean house, which is about the only meaningful thing they can really do after this garbage statement.

  7. Looking for opinions on 4–6 drawer tool cabinets & mechanic carts. I’m considering getting one of these for storage of various items in my home office, as the standing desk I built does not have drawers and I’d like to supplement my storage space with better organization. I’d like the unit to be on casters so I can roll it under or next to my desk as a supplemental work surface. Ideally, I’d like something no more than 44” tall & 30” wide, which constrains the number & configuration of drawers.

    My thinking is that I’d use the shallow top drawers for office supplies, external hard drives, flashlights, etc., while the deeper ones can hold bulkier electronics, extension cords, peripheral cables, and other flotsam/jetsam.

    A Lista would be ideal, but is way out of the price range. I’m in the shadetree price range (Husky, Milwaukee, Harbor Freight, etc.). I took a look at the entry-level 26” Husky cabinet at the Despot and was not impressed with the the drawers, which were wobbly and slammed shut. The larger 30” had soft-close features, but came as a package with a tool box that sits on top. Far as I could tell, one can’t order them separately.

    Anybody have a model they like?

    1. I don't really have any specific advice on this, but I will say you should keep an eye on the UW SWAP auctions. Might find what you're looking for cheaply.

      1. Username checks out!

        I slapped my head just last night and went to look at SWAP. Most of the time we joke about what we’re sending there. Just yesterday I came across a dozen large data tapes in a favorite hideout on campus. Wondering what kind of machine they belonged to — a DEC PDP-10? IBM 7070?

        1. Once I finish the basement, my new hobby will probably be trolling SWAP for cheap bikes to refurbish.

            1. My friend's bike was at Drake for 3 year without moving. She brought it soph year, locked it up, didn't touch it til we graduated and she took it home

              1. I bought a mountain bike from the SWAP last summer for $25. I've got everything stripped off but haven't had time, because of the basement project, to repaint it and get new parts. I really need a winter beater!

    2. I bought a Craftsman five-drawer cabinet early in the pandemic, and on sale, and like it fine. I have the matching five-drawer chest that goes on top so I can't comment on how well it functions as a work surface. The drawers are all soft-close but they have a bit too much friction to close from a firm push. I can do that with the drawers on the chest, but the rolling cabinet's drawers all stop a few inches short. That said, I haven't used it as much so that could improve with use.

      1. I have something similar that I bought many moons ago (pre-Sears going out of business), though mine is two drawers and a big open space, plus a four drawer chest on top. It works well enough and, due to a eff up in the order pick up process by Sears, I ended up getting for free.

    1. I normally get whole bean and use my Aeropress, but when I do use the pods I try my best to get these eco pods. I need to get some more, so I'll see if I can find the Cameron's.

        1. I admit I don't measure that closely. I just set my Cuisinart grinder to 4.5 cups set on fine and use however much grounds that is.

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