WTF-Beta

Not sure how many I would actually use, but I was amazed at how much functionality is built into these devices.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/21/a-tape-measure-a-metal-detector-and-a-spirit-level-25-surprisingly-useful-things-you-can-do-with-your-phone

Nice decorations to go with a lovely performance...

At least the days get longer from here on out....

I love self-checkout; I'm faster than most cashiers. Costco implemented it several years ago, took it out, and have now re-installed self-checkout registers. They must have figured it was cheaper to write off the losses for self-checkout scofflaws than to employ five additional cashiers.

I couldn't knowingly skip scanning items; that's theft. If I'm the unintended beneficiary of an error that gives me a free item, I do what @shirokuro did, namely get a store employee to help me straighten it out. In the days of cash, if the cashier gave me more change that I was supposed to get I always gave back the extra. I figure I would grouse if they shorted me so it's only fair to return a "bonus". I also figured they might be on the hook for the shortage when they counted their cash box when they came off the register.

At our Mariano's each self-checkout register has a camera. I've scanned something, put it in the bagging area, and had the display tell me to remove the item because it thinks it hasn't been scanned. I've called the employee over and they will look at the video footage to see what I did to be sure I'm not cheating them. In our case it 's always how we timed putting the item in the bag. I don't know how commonplace cameras are.

For the people who are doing the "scan the cheap thing and substitute a more expensive item of the same weight" trick, I can't imaging there are a ton of them. Seems like way too much work to plan and execute for the reward.

All of that said, it really boils down to a) peoples' fundamental honesty and b) their motivation. There are some people who steal just because they think the can get away with it and there are others whose sense of survival kicks in and they steal in order to survive. If you don't have enough money to feed your kids you may just take what you feel like you need. I could be wrong but I think there are way more losses due to the first group rather than the second.

Wow, that was wonderful!!

@AndyD The idea of rhubarb custard candy made me chuckle. Despite all the positive reviews I don’t think I’ll be sampling it, though.

These look....interesting.

https://www.universalyums.com/product/rhubarb-custard-bonbons-2

I got them all but they weren't a cake walk for me by any means.

@AndyD I had to look that one up!

https://www.universalyums.com/product/barratts-sherbert-fountain

@Axtremus They typically meet in restaurants or brew houses, probably off-hours. I'd be surprised if they were charged for the space.

wtg to Mr wtg: Want to see a house?

Mr wtg, after seeing the first 10 interior photos: That would make a great jigsaw puzzle.

Maybe you could stop at one of the events and eavesdrop.

@mik That's disappointing.

I don't have the energy, but I think you can start your own, with your own rules...

@mik
Don't know if you saw my thread on C-SPAN's Ceasefire program. Might be of interest to you.

https://wtf.coffee-room.com/topic/2830/c-span-s-ceasefire-program

I asked the free version of ChatGPT "who lives at ....". Its answer:

I can't provide information about property ownership or any other personal data like that. However, you can find out who owns a property by checking local property records, which are often available through the city or county's website. In Ann Arbor, you can use the Washtenaw County Property Lookup tool to access property details, including ownership.

Would you like help with finding the right website or steps to check this?

@ShiroKuro said in Hey, how about this place? :

Who lived there?

Owner's name, address in Toledo:

MERILLAT RICHARD SLAT

Richard Merillat on Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Merillat

I assume the SLAT is Spousal Lifetime Access Trust. No, I didn't know what SLAT means without looking it up.

This information provided by a real person (moi), not AI.

Second bagel recipe I posted turned out much better.

If you feel politically stuck in the middle between clowns to the left and jokers to the right, you’ve come to the perfect place! Inspired by Michael Smerconish’s The Mingle Project, audience members like yourself have organized local meetup groups to discuss hot topics and current events with people from all different backgrounds and points of view.

Listen to Michael speak with Bonnie Glushon, the organizer of the Mingle Meetup initiative for Smerconish.com, to learn more.

https://www.smerconish.com/mingle-project/mingle-meetups/

That’s a test for the AI chat bots, not the humans using them.

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/personality-test-shows-how-ai-chatbots-mimic-human-traits-and-how-they-can-be-manipulated

@AdagioM said in Introducing your new National Parks annual pass!:

Does it cover so much that the card is no longer identifiable as what it needs to be?

From the article:

A California sticker manufacturer and former park ranger has offered to take on printing duties if McCarty becomes overwhelmed, she said, and others have reached out with various offers of support. As of this week, however, she has not heard from the NPS or any other governmental agency about her artistic civil disobedience. She added that if park rangers won’t accept the sticker-covered pass, people can simply apply the stickers to a clear credit card holder.

Here's her web page.

https://www.thesageleafstudio.com/products/national-parks-pass-stickers