@SRLevine@urbanists.social
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

SRLevine

@SRLevine@urbanists.social

Professional chemist. Amateur baker. Bike commuter.

Favorite stars don't cost money and can make someone smile (or at least feel seen) so I use them often. I'm not being weird at you specifically, I'm being weird at everyone...

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

moira, to random
@moira@mastodon.murkworks.net avatar

This will teach you what happens to you when you betray SPECTRE!

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@moira Any chance you're referring to the very, very bad "vampire" novels with the government agency named SPECTR? Or am I the only person to have read them (they are really, really trashy).

jonny, to random
@jonny@social.coop avatar

Posting from one account to reply from another account to be on the feed without polluting the local feed. others who wish to do the same but don't have an alt can reply to this as well (but untag me)

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@jonny Just did!!!

SRLevine, to random
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

What did I find in the bike lane?

Measurements are ~20 inches by 38 inches.

The reverse side is a similar material to what is used on the outside of orleib style waterproof panniers if that helps anyone.

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@mivox I don't think it's big enough for that? since 38" would only cover the back of the seal and not the bottom. But anyone's guess is better than my total ignorance right now!

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@Leeisme The logo looks like an outline of a few dogs, is there a baby supply company with a logo like that?

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@mivox I just took out my tape measure and checked my chair to confirm and you might be right? But I'm sitting in a normal chair and I think car seats are usually taller? I really don't know though.

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@Leeisme Oh, huh. That could certainly be it. @mivox maybe?

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@Leeisme @mivox It's probably not worth it (also effort...). I have tracked down that it's made by five below and is a dog item, but it doesn't correspond with anything currently on their website.

SRLevine, to random
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

If you're a member of UAW 4811 (grad students, academic researchers, post-docs, etc in the University of California system). Reminder that votes on statewide and local reps are due by tonight 5 pm. You should have an email link to the ballot.

#UnionStrong #UCI

SRLevine, to random
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

I realize yelling at a traffic engineer is pointless (and I kept my voice even and calm!), but damn was that a frustrating phone call. I had to explicitly state that "I care more about a pedestrian or cyclist getting hit than someone in a car having to wait at the light a little longer" when he was like "we try to keep cars moving on University". Apparently there are two protected lefts in that cycle currently and only one also gets a pedestrian signal during school hours maybe?

1/2

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

I did also bring up how the people making rights on red don't stop at all because they don't realize there is an exit form the MUP and the T intersection makes them think there won't be anyone crossing. And he mentioned "we might have to to do a study". I heroically refrained form pointing out that there are a significant number of studies showing right on red is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists already and that another one was unnecessary.

2/2

SRLevine, to OrangeCounty
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

Was there just an earthquake in socal?

SRLevine, to cycling
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

CarBrain strikes again!

Training for drivers is 1 h. Training for cyclists is 4. Which of us is easily capable of killing someone else with a moment of inattention again?

(this is an official UCI email from Transportation & Distribution Services)

SRLevine, to random
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

Anyone in the Irvine area know who to contact about a changed signal pattern that forces cyclists/pedestrians to wait much longer? It happened a couple of weeks ago and is really annoying. To the point where I've seen multiple people cross University Ave (a 4-6 lane stroad with a very high speed limit) against the light at California.

I used the online request form, but I don't know if it will get thrown out as not being a "traffic signal issue".

sundogplanets, to random
@sundogplanets@mastodon.social avatar

No new baby goats this morning (just the 4 from the last few days). The mama who's been gigantic for the last month is due today, so hopefully she'll have lots of healthy babies! I predict 4 (and I predict she'll have them at the most obnoxious time...I have lots of meetings today, but I have even more meetings tomorrow that are way less flexible, so today would be great!)

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@sundogplanets 4?!!? That seems unusually high for a goat?

grrrr_shark, (edited ) to random
@grrrr_shark@supervolcano.angryshark.eu avatar

Look, the "don't panic" vibe here is a big deal, and sometimes that's fine. Often it is thought-policing, which is super NOT.

I tend to step back and think when there is controversy instead of reacting, though I have my moments.

But let me just say that my suspicion that it's going to eventually become necessary for many of us to block mastodon.social and hope that most of our friends and favorites are only using it as a jumping off point before they find (soon) greener, smaller pastures is growing VERY quickly.

And I swear to God that anyone who mansplains to me the obvious problem with what I just said will get blocked, even if I like you.

I am just telling you that that is the increasingly foul scent I catch in the wind - a megaserver that is poorly moderated/cannot be moderated combined with advisors from the worst of social media is a ripe environment for the worst things.

If .social were a time-limited entry point you have to migrate off of, it wouldn't stop the bad behaviour, but it wouldn't make it any harder than it is now, and the network would be better balanced. It'd also, more altruisticly, perhaps cut down on their costs. But I still don't know how you deal with this massive behemoth that is becoming an increasingly large issue/threat without seriously discussing using the banhammer.

It's going to be ugly.

If you are on .social, I really encourage you to look for a smaller instance, or if you are just a bit technically inclined, run an instance yourself! (It isn't that difficult, though the instructions could use some love)

It'll dilute the single-point-of-failure problem, and ensure you are still connected if folks start blocking .social at some point in the future.

I have no actual plans to, but well, I have a tendency to get out just before things get bad, and my Spidey Sense is atingle.

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@grrrr_shark "It isn't that difficult, though the instructions could use some love" this describes so much of life...

SRLevine, to cycling
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

Fun aspect of going to the DMV: there are no bike racks. And there is no clear signage that you can't bring a bike inside. So I did. And got yelled at multiple times by a security guard who said "you have to lock it to a light pole". When I pointed out that my lock can't do that, and could she direct me to a bike rack I was just told repeatedly that it couldn't be in the building.

"You can't bring bikes into state/government buildings"

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

Considering I work for a state university, I'm pretty sure no bikes in government buildings is something I'd know about...

She eventually yelled for someone to call CHP on me. Clearly no one bothered. Because none of the people who worked there cared as long as it was propped against the wall and not blocking any lines.

And eventually I got to a window when my number was called only to be caught in a different aspect of DMV bureaucracy.

SRLevine, to random
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

If the entirety of the CA DMV vanishes in a puff of smoke following a magical ritual where I ran around in circles and cursed the bureaucracy for 1000 years you didn't see and and you don't know who caused it, ok?

SRLevine, to random
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

Well Financial Institution, the reason I don't have enough to meet the plan minimum is because the university in question refused to pay people (post-docs) who had federal grant funding on W2s and forced us to be 1099 contractors. So they didn't have to pay into retirement accounts nor allow us to contribute to social security/medicare. So yes, I need to roll that account with very little money in it over to my current employer so that I don't owe taxes.

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

Related rant: my grad school "stipend" was based on calling CSU grad students part time state employees so that we couldn't earn a state pension (technically my salary was pretty decent, but I was half time! financially they only paid for 20 hours of work a week!).

ai6yr, to cycling
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org avatar

Preliminary study on a project in the City of Thousand Oaks, California on converting roads to include a Class 4 bicycle lane.

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@ai6yr If they are taking feedback in advance see if you can put in a word for plastic jersey barriers rather than traffic cones. Traffic cones never feel particularly like they do much and having a "test" where no one wants to ride on it because it isn't real protection might set you back in the long run.

pleaseclap, (edited ) to random
@pleaseclap@urbanists.social avatar

"The price is free ninety-nine"

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@pleaseclap $3.99

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@pleaseclap If you modify a poll you lose all previous responses :blobFacePalm:

chemoelectric, to random
@chemoelectric@masto.ai avatar

A shelf for oscilloscope, etc., made from black walnut cutting board-stock scraps. I think I will finish it with TotalBoat tabletop epoxy, as practice for finishing the senior citizen steps.

My disabled hands are tingling badly from sanding this thing.

SRLevine,
@SRLevine@urbanists.social avatar

@chemoelectric
A three plank step sitting on the concrete floor of a work-shop. It is three boards (light pine color, no paint) with evenly spaced nail marks (presumably to cross braces underneath). It is approximately 50 cm x 100 cm.

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