https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-
performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/

https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-
ads-to-the-start-menu/

Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.

rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

>https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-
>performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/

It ran OK but certainly there are advantages of a sleeker OS, namely
Linux in the form of even Mint.

--
Joel W. Crump

Amendment XIV
Section 1.

[...] No state shall make or enforce any law which shall
abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the
United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of
life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws.

Dobbs rewrites this, it is invalid precedent. States are
liable for denying needed abortions, e.g. TX.

rbowman wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:

> https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/
>
> https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-ads-to-the-start-menu/
>
> Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
> Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.

Haw haw haw!

I noticed on my work laptop (thankfully now returned to the corporate tech
depot to be foisted upon some unsuspecting employee) that searches from
the start-menu would include crap from the internet.

Also pretty little pictures started showing up on the task bar.

My, how twee!

--
Q: How do you save a drowning lawyer?
A: Throw him a rock.

On 2024-04-13, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:
> https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-
> performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/
>
> https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-
> ads-to-the-start-menu/
>
> Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
> Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.

So... lousy performance. It takes forever to update. You have to endure even
more ads and it calls "home." Then there are the fun and games with the
Registry while they're shoving AI down your throat. Too bad I use Linux, I
miss out on all this "fun."

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

RonB <ronb02NOSPAM@gmail.com> wrote:

>So... lousy performance [for Windows]. It takes forever to update. You have to endure even
>more ads and it calls "home." Then there are the fun and games with the
>Registry while they're shoving AI down your throat. Too bad I use Linux, I
>miss out on all this "fun."
>
>--
>[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
>entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
>"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

It's amazing how he can be so right about computers, and so utterly
lost about politics.

--
Joel W. Crump

Amendment XIV
Section 1.

[...] No state shall make or enforce any law which shall
abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the
United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of
life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws.

Dobbs rewrites this, it is invalid precedent. States are
liable for denying needed abortions, e.g. TX.

Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
> rbowman wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>
>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/
>>
>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-ads-to-the-start-menu/
>>
>> Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
>> Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.
>
> Haw haw haw!
>
> I noticed on my work laptop (thankfully now returned to the corporate tech
> depot to be foisted upon some unsuspecting employee) that searches from
> the start-menu would include crap from the internet.

I can recall Apple trying that same “I’m being helpful!” Web-centric BS on
MacOS.
Found & Disabled it years ago.

Meantime, you’re just starting retirement life .. still in the “feels like
time off” phase. Suggest you do more work-related housekeeping to
purge/store whatever work stuff, else you’ll never get to it.

-hh

-hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:

> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>> rbowman wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>
>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/
>>>
>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-ads-to-the-start-menu/
>>>
>>> Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
>>> Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.
>>
>> Haw haw haw!
>>
>> I noticed on my work laptop (thankfully now returned to the corporate tech
>> depot to be foisted upon some unsuspecting employee) that searches from
>> the start-menu would include crap from the internet.
>
> I can recall Apple trying that same “I’m being helpful!” Web-centric BS on
> MacOS.
> Found & Disabled it years ago.
>
> Meantime, you’re just starting retirement life .. still in the “feels like
> time off” phase. Suggest you do more work-related housekeeping to
> purge/store whatever work stuff, else you’ll never get to it.

Already done. Practically all of the stuff was on the laptop anyway,
and copying it off to a stick or printing it to my home printer were not
allowed.

As far as time-off, well I'm codin' like a sunnovabitch!

--
"Not Hercules could have knock'd out his brains, for he had none."
-- Shakespeare

Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>
>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>> rbowman wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>>
>>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/
>>>>
>>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-ads-to-the-start-menu/
>>>>
>>>> Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
>>>> Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.
>>>
>>> Haw haw haw!
>>>
>>> I noticed on my work laptop (thankfully now returned to the corporate tech
>>> depot to be foisted upon some unsuspecting employee) that searches from
>>> the start-menu would include crap from the internet.
>>
>> I can recall Apple trying that same “I’m being helpful!” Web-centric BS on
>> MacOS.
>> Found & Disabled it years ago.
>>
>> Meantime, you’re just starting retirement life .. still in the “feels like
>> time off” phase. Suggest you do more work-related housekeeping to
>> purge/store whatever work stuff, else you’ll never get to it.
>
> Already done. Practically all of the stuff was on the laptop anyway,
> and copying it off to a stick or printing it to my home printer were not
> allowed.

If one really wanted to retain whatever, there’s invariably ways to do so.

>
> As far as time-off, well I'm codin' like a sunnovabitch!

So long that it’s something you enjoy. Just remember that if there’s
“bucket list”-esque activities which you want to do, we’re not getting any
younger, so “do the hard stuff” while you’re still physically able to -
life can throw some real curveballs that are quickly disruptive to plans.

-hh

-hh

Chris Ahlstrom wrote:

> -hh wrote:
>>
>> Meantime, you’re just starting retirement life .. still in the “feels like
>> time off” phase. Suggest you do more work-related housekeeping to
>> purge/store whatever work stuff, else you’ll never get to it.
>
>Already done. Practically all of the stuff was on the laptop anyway,
>and copying it off to a stick or printing it to my home printer were not
>allowed.

I've always thought that I'd take my extensive work notes home, when I
retire. In case they call me for some help afterwards, because the
new guy doesn't have a clue. Maybe that's silly and unrealistic,
though.

--
'2018: "dullards either stay with the Windows herd, or go with the
designed-for-morons Mac." - [chrisv], labeling his daughter a
"dullard"' - DumFSck, lying shamelessly

On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 07:28:19 -0500, chrisv wrote:

> I've always thought that I'd take my extensive work notes home, when I
> retire. In case they call me for some help afterwards, because the new
> guy doesn't have a clue. Maybe that's silly and unrealistic, though.

Have you ever seen 'About Schmidt' with Jack Nicholson? He retires after
32 years working for an insurance company, makes sure all his files are
available, and offers to help if need be. On his way out of the building
he sees boxes of his files being wheeled to a dumpster.

I'm in a little different situation. The company I work for 'retired'
January 1. The clients were promised a year of support while they find a
new vendor. Most of the staff either left or transferred to the other
division and I said I would be available for the year in case problems
come up that support can't solve.

rbowman wrote:

> chrisv wrote:
>>
>> I've always thought that I'd take my extensive work notes home, when I
>> retire. In case they call me for some help afterwards, because the new
>> guy doesn't have a clue. Maybe that's silly and unrealistic, though.
>
>Have you ever seen 'About Schmidt' with Jack Nicholson? He retires after
>32 years working for an insurance company, makes sure all his files are
>available, and offers to help if need be. On his way out of the building
>he sees boxes of his files being wheeled to a dumpster.

Yeah, that's probably more realistic.

>I'm in a little different situation. The company I work for 'retired'
>January 1. The clients were promised a year of support while they find a
>new vendor. Most of the staff either left or transferred to the other
>division and I said I would be available for the year in case problems
>come up that support can't solve.

You think you'll be all done and retire, at the end of the year?

--
"You worship a language that still has no String data type
(null-terminated array of chars... heh!). That didn't have booleans
until 25 years after it was introduced?" - VB "programmer" DumFSck,
ignorantly attacking C

On Sun, 21 Apr 2024 06:45:39 -0500, chrisv wrote:

>>I'm in a little different situation. The company I work for 'retired'
>>January 1. The clients were promised a year of support while they find a
>>new vendor. Most of the staff either left or transferred to the other
>>division and I said I would be available for the year in case problems
>>come up that support can't solve.
>
> You think you'll be all done and retire, at the end of the year?
>

Probably sooner. The product has been stable for several years with minor
bug fixes and the last contract item I was working on went live last
month. I'm down to a few hours a week and even that is because 0 hours
confuses the company that does the payroll.

There are several reasons why the plug was pulled but it is disappointing
that the new product never saw the light of day.

chrisv <chrisv@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> rbowman wrote:
>> chrisv wrote:
>>>
>>> I've always thought that I'd take my extensive work notes home, when I
>>> retire. In case they call me for some help afterwards, because the new
>>> guy doesn't have a clue. Maybe that's silly and unrealistic, though.
>>
>> Have you ever seen 'About Schmidt' with Jack Nicholson? He retires after
>> 32 years working for an insurance company, makes sure all his files are
>> available, and offers to help if need be. On his way out of the building
>> he sees boxes of his files being wheeled to a dumpster.
>
> Yeah, that's probably more realistic.

I took some time during CoVid telework to purge a ton of old stuff. I had
some flexibility to go in to do a physical “fire & safety” check of the lab
facility, so I’d have a day solo in the building and would just make a day
of it to go through boxes & reduce them by 10:1.

>> I'm in a little different situation. The company I work for 'retired'
>> January 1. The clients were promised a year of support while they find a
>> new vendor. Most of the staff either left or transferred to the other
>> division and I said I would be available for the year in case problems
>> come up that support can't solve.
>
> You think you'll be all done and retire, at the end of the year?

Corporate memory is a weird thing in terms of how it pops up, and what
happens the most is that the current team will have some issue and then
someone says “ya know who would know this answer? Old Joe who retired last
year .. we should just give them a call”…

…and that call is never made.

-hh

-hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:

> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>
>>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>>> rbowman wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>>>
>>>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/
>>>>>
>>>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-ads-to-the-start-menu/
>>>>>
>>>>> Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
>>>>> Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.
>>>>
>>>> Haw haw haw!
>>>>
>>>> I noticed on my work laptop (thankfully now returned to the corporate tech
>>>> depot to be foisted upon some unsuspecting employee) that searches from
>>>> the start-menu would include crap from the internet.
>>>
>>> I can recall Apple trying that same “I’m being helpful!” Web-centric BS on
>>> MacOS.
>>> Found & Disabled it years ago.
>>>
>>> Meantime, you’re just starting retirement life .. still in the “feels like
>>> time off” phase. Suggest you do more work-related housekeeping to
>>> purge/store whatever work stuff, else you’ll never get to it.
>>
>> Already done. Practically all of the stuff was on the laptop anyway,
>> and copying it off to a stick or printing it to my home printer were not
>> allowed.
>
> If one really wanted to retain whatever, there’s invariably ways to do so.

Nah, I got in trouble once for backing up something to an SD card.

You see, before we were bought out, the original company was pretty lax about
things.

The new company slowly, over the months and months, slowly tightened the
screws.

I had a dual boot thanks to the original laxness, until one day I found
that the Linux partition got deleted remotely.

I was never keen to buck the system after that.

>> As far as time-off, well I'm codin' like a sunnovabitch!
>
> So long that it’s something you enjoy. Just remember that if there’s
> “bucket list”-esque activities which you want to do, we’re not getting any
> younger, so “do the hard stuff” while you’re still physically able to -
> life can throw some real curveballs that are quickly disruptive to plans.

I have no bucket list.

--
Never laugh at live dragons.
-- Bilbo Baggins [J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit"]

Chris Ahlstrom wrote:

> I got in trouble once for backing up something to an SD card.

Jeez. I'm happy that things are nothing like that, where I work. I'm
utilizing the sneakernet, with USB sticks, constantly.

--
'Or USB ports which "advocates" were claiming would contribute towards
the death of the iPad.' - trolling fsckwit "Ezekiel", lying
shamelessly

On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 16:44:20 +0000, rbowman wrote:

> On Sat, 20 Apr 2024 07:28:19 -0500, chrisv wrote:
>
>> I've always thought that I'd take my extensive work notes home, when I
>> retire. In case they call me for some help afterwards, because the new
>> guy doesn't have a clue. Maybe that's silly and unrealistic, though.
>
> Have you ever seen 'About Schmidt' with Jack Nicholson? He retires after
> 32 years working for an insurance company, makes sure all his files are
> available, and offers to help if need be. On his way out of the building
> he sees boxes of his files being wheeled to a dumpster.
>
> I'm in a little different situation. The company I work for 'retired'
> January 1. The clients were promised a year of support while they find a
> new vendor. Most of the staff either left or transferred to the other
> division and I said I would be available for the year in case problems
> come up that support can't solve.

I just wanted to mention that I loved that movie. The ending absolutely
sealed the deal for me.

--
Andrzej (Andre) Matuch
TG: @AndrzejMatuch
Christ is King.

Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>
>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>>
>>>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>>>> rbowman wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>>>>
>>>>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/12/windows-11-slammed-for-its-comically-bad-performance-even-on-high-end-hardware/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://betanews.com/2024/04/13/microsoft-improves-windows-11-by-bringing-ads-to-the-start-menu/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Just saying... If anything betanews is Windows-centric although Brian
>>>>>> Fagioli does cover Linux topics sometimes.
>>>>>
>>>>> Haw haw haw!
>>>>>
>>>>> I noticed on my work laptop (thankfully now returned to the corporate tech
>>>>> depot to be foisted upon some unsuspecting employee) that searches from
>>>>> the start-menu would include crap from the internet.
>>>>
>>>> I can recall Apple trying that same “I’m being helpful!” Web-centric BS on
>>>> MacOS.
>>>> Found & Disabled it years ago.
>>>>
>>>> Meantime, you’re just starting retirement life .. still in the “feels like
>>>> time off” phase. Suggest you do more work-related housekeeping to
>>>> purge/store whatever work stuff, else you’ll never get to it.
>>>
>>> Already done. Practically all of the stuff was on the laptop anyway,
>>> and copying it off to a stick or printing it to my home printer were not
>>> allowed.
>>
>> If one really wanted to retain whatever, there’s invariably ways to do so.
>
> Nah, I got in trouble once for backing up something to an SD card.
>
> You see, before we were bought out, the original company was pretty lax about
> things.
>
> The new company slowly, over the months and months, slowly tightened the
> screws.
>
> I had a dual boot thanks to the original laxness, until one day I found
> that the Linux partition got deleted remotely.
>
> I was never keen to buck the system after that.

IT policies did of course tighten over the years. I recall still having
Admin authority for several years longer than I supposedly was authorized
to.

Even so, there are often policies which are smart for security but dumb to
actually get things done, which are tensions of competing interests…an
example is a lockdown on allowing any printing, but it was allowed but to
get a print driver installation it was an IT ticket for each of 25 users in
a workgroup for the same workgroup’s network printer…seems that they were
unable/uninterested in just whitelisting that printer once to allow any PC
on that floor to go DIY install & use it.

>>> As far as time-off, well I'm codin' like a sunnovabitch!
>>
>> So long that it’s something you enjoy. Just remember that if there’s
>> “bucket list”-esque activities which you want to do, we’re not getting any
>> younger, so “do the hard stuff” while you’re still physically able to -
>> life can throw some real curveballs that are quickly disruptive to plans.
>
> I have no bucket list.

So no remaining life ambitions of any kind?

-hh

-hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:

> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>
>> I have no bucket list.
>
> So no remaining life ambitions of any kind?

I have a few things that would be cool to do, but if I don't do them, no big
deal. Like see a Premier League or Bundesliga match in person.

I'm pretty content to watch soccer, ride the bike, write code and documents,
drink good brews, and enjoy being a grampy.

--
You have taken yourself too seriously.

On 4/19/2024 7:07 PM, -hh wrote:
> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:

>> As far as time-off, well I'm codin' like a sunnovabitch!
>
> So long that it’s something you enjoy. Just remember that if there’s
> “bucket list”-esque activities which you want to do, we’re not getting any
> younger, so “do the hard stuff” while you’re still physically able to -
> life can throw some real curveballs that are quickly disruptive to plans.

Lost all your money to a Nigerian prince?

On 4/24/24 1:43 PM, Chris Ahlstrom wrote:
> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>
>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>>
>>> I have no bucket list.
>>
>> So no remaining life ambitions of any kind?
>
> I have a few things that would be cool to do, but if I don't do them, no big
> deal. Like see a Premier League or Bundesliga match in person.

So what's stopping you, now that you're retired?
Hop on an airplane to Europe and just do it.

It looks like one can get tickets for ~US$100 each for next Saturday's
match in Mainz, Germany ... and maybe look up Peter Kohlman to do a
meet-up if you care to do that too:

<https://www.stubhub.com/1-fsv-mainz-05-mainz-tickets-5-11-2024/event/152002370/?quantity=2>

And a midweek flight from Charleston to Frankfurt (5/8-11) starts at
$612/pp-RT ... not bad for short notice and early summer:

https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAhoeEgoyMDI0LTA1LTA4agcIARIDQ0hTcgcIARIDRlJBGh4SCjIwMjQtMDUtMTNqBwgBEgNGUkFyBwgBEgNDSFNAAUgBcAGCAQsI____________AZgBAQ

Mainz is just a half hour from Frankfurt - invariably easy/cheap to do
on a local train, even if one chooses to stay in Frankfurt and do as a
daytrip.

> I'm pretty content to watch soccer, ride the bike, write code and documents,
> drink good brews, and enjoy being a grampy.

Because a genuine German beer on tap in Germany isn't a "good" brew? /s
Bonus: take a grandkid if they're old enough to remember the experience.

-hh

On 4/26/24 6:25 PM, DFS wrote:
> On 4/19/2024 7:07 PM, -hh wrote:
>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>
>
>>> As far as time-off, well I'm codin' like a sunnovabitch!
>>
>> So long that it’s something you enjoy.  Just remember that if there’s
>> “bucket list”-esque activities which you want to do, we’re not getting
>> any younger, so “do the hard stuff” while you’re still physically able >> to - life can throw some real curveballs that are quickly disruptive
to plans.
>
>
> Lost all your money to a Nigerian prince?
>

Nah, just starting to get to the point where the calendar gets 'busy'
from medical appointments for this & that. Current batch is for getting
a couple of ocular bionics installed to replace the degraded organics.

Took a break prior, which included eighteen hours underwater, hence the
~two week delay in getting back online for Usenet, thanks to the demise
of GG making for less convenient ad hoc access.

-hh

-hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:

> On 4/24/24 1:43 PM, Chris Ahlstrom wrote:
>> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>
>>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I have no bucket list.
>>>
>>> So no remaining life ambitions of any kind?
>>
>> I have a few things that would be cool to do, but if I don't do them, no big
>> deal. Like see a Premier League or Bundesliga match in person.
>
> So what's stopping you, now that you're retired?
> Hop on an airplane to Europe and just do it.

LOL.

I actually do not like to travel. The TSA is nuts... decades later we're still
worrying about "shoe bombers".

Had to fly to a wedding in New Hampshire recently, though. Worried about it
for weeks. Wasn't a bad trip, but I'm happy to do that only when I must
(family).

The Catholic Church was very ornate inside. Reminded me of how much effort
people put into that stuff.

>> I'm pretty content to watch soccer, ride the bike, write code and documents,
>> drink good brews, and enjoy being a grampy.
>
> Because a genuine German beer on tap in Germany isn't a "good" brew?

How did you conclude from that that I don't think a German brew is good?

> Bonus: take a grandkid if they're old enough to remember the experience.

Oh my god, the feral boys loose in Deutschland!

I remember a classmate at Saint Mary's grade school went to Europe and
his family did a nice slide show for our class.

The thing that he remembered the most was "French <n-word>s."

--
Hope that the day after you die is a nice day.

On 5/4/24 11:07 AM, Chris Ahlstrom wrote:
> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>
>> On 4/24/24 1:43 PM, Chris Ahlstrom wrote:
>>> -hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:
>>>
>>>> Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I have no bucket list.
>>>>
>>>> So no remaining life ambitions of any kind?
>>>
>>> I have a few things that would be cool to do, but if I don't do them, no big
>>> deal. Like see a Premier League or Bundesliga match in person.
>>
>> So what's stopping you, now that you're retired?
>> Hop on an airplane to Europe and just do it.
>
> LOL.
>
> I actually do not like to travel. The TSA is nuts... decades later we're still
> worrying about "shoe bombers".

With TSA PreCheck, the TSA checkpoint is a relatively minor speed bump.
Plus one still needs to arrive sufficiently early to check bags, not be
late for boarding a flight, etc, such that if it has a long line that
takes 30 minutes instead of 10, you're still shouldn't miss the flight.

> Had to fly to a wedding in New Hampshire recently, though. Worried about it
> for weeks. Wasn't a bad trip, but I'm happy to do that only when I must
> (family).

SC to NH is enough hours saved that its worth flying instead of driving.

> The Catholic Church was very ornate inside. Reminded me of how much effort
> people put into that stuff.

Looks like the only Catholic cathedral in NH is St Joseph in Manchester;
on a European scale, its IMO pretty modest & pedestrian (almost plain).

If building architecture is an interest for you, I don't believe that we
have much in the Baroque architectural style in the US, and probably
none in the even more insanely ornate late Baroque "Rococo" style. FYI,
if you're not familair with Rococo, here's an example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rococo#/media/File:Kaisersaal_Würzburg.jpg

>>> I'm pretty content to watch soccer, ride the bike, write code and documents,
>>> drink good brews, and enjoy being a grampy.
>>
>> Because a genuine German beer on tap in Germany isn't a "good" brew?
>
> How did you conclude from that that I don't think a German brew is good?

Merely an assumption on my part, because of your disinclination to
travel, which makes getting "the real thing" harder. Just like how
there's a leap from bottle to tap, there's also another one for tap made
for export markets vs domestic. Guinness Stout is a classical example
of this, but there's others, not only DEU, but also Czech "tank beer".

Similarly, there's stuff in Belgium that's rarely/never exported, such
as Westvleteren 12; the most reliable way to get it is to visit the
Abbey directly after making a "beer reservation", which requires not
only flying to Belgium, but also having a car, since they're located out
in the sticks, for the last time I checked, it was a ~1.5 mile walk from
the nearest mass transit stop. Within the US, a few chains (eg.
Wegman's) has Westmalle Dubbel in a 750ml, which is an ~80% solution to
give you an idea. Another is Rochefort 6, 8, or 10 which are small
~10oz bottles ... IMO probably more the 8, but try all three in a
"horizontal tasting" at the same time .. with friends, due to high ABF.

>> Bonus: take a grandkid if they're old enough to remember the experience.
>
> Oh my god, the feral boys loose in Deutschland!

For the kids, some castles in Germany (Rhine, Mosel), or for more "theme
park" Paris Disney, Denmark's Tivoli Gardens ...

> I remember a classmate at Saint Mary's grade school went to Europe and
> his family did a nice slide show for our class.
>
> The thing that he remembered the most was "French <n-word>s."

"Slide show" suggests that this was quite awhile ago. In any event,
everyone is different in what things pique their personal interests.
Had one colleague who was into trains, so we planned our off time over a
few days picking different sights which gave us the excuse to ride on
multiple different lines on the Paris Metro (a great system BTW). IIRC,
I think that got to something like 12 of the 14 lines an saw some
interesting differences in train technology that I wasn't aware of, as
well as some interesting places around parts of the city that I hadn't
tried going to before.

-hh

On Mon, 6 May 2024 11:08:10 -0400, -hh wrote:

>> Had to fly to a wedding in New Hampshire recently, though. Worried
>> about it for weeks. Wasn't a bad trip, but I'm happy to do that only
>> when I must (family).
>
> SC to NH is enough hours saved that its worth flying instead of driving.

Logan can eat up some of those saved hours.

On 5/6/24 2:17 PM, rbowman wrote:
> On Mon, 6 May 2024 11:08:10 -0400, -hh wrote:
>
>>> Had to fly to a wedding in New Hampshire recently, though. Worried
>>> about it for weeks. Wasn't a bad trip, but I'm happy to do that only
>>> when I must (family).
>>
>> SC to NH is enough hours saved that its worth flying instead of driving.
>
> Logan can eat up some of those saved hours.

Nothing's impossible, esp. with how some routs are screwy these days.

But by car, Charleston SC -> Manchester NH is 1000 miles / 15hrs, so to
get a 'longer' air route, it would need to be via Dublin, Ireland /s

-hh