William Harris (u/william_harris)

Posts

Just realized my neighborhood diner's 'specials' are algorithmically chosen now

I've been going to Rosie's Diner on Grand Avenue for maybe 12 years. Last month, I noticed the daily specials board started looking weird. Items like avocado toast and kale salads showing up next to the meatloaf. I asked the owner Rosie about it and she said they use a data service that tracks what people order on food apps nearby. She told me it boosts their lunch rush by about 15 percent. But here's the thing - I talked to three regulars and none of them ordered the new specials. We all just get the same stuff we always got. The specials change every day now based on some citywide data, not what's in the walk-in cooler. Has anyone else seen their local spots start doing this? Does it actually work for other people?

3 comments

c/camera-repairers•

william_harris•2d ago

Debate: cleaning a lens with a microfiber cloth vs an air blower first

I messed up a nice Contax lens last month by using a blower and driving dust deeper into the barrel. But I also scratched a different lens a few years back by rubbing too hard with a cloth. Which step actually gets the junk off without causing more damage? I'm leaning toward blowing first now but I'd like to hear what others do in their shops.

3 comments

c/drafters•

william_harris•3d ago

Still mad I found out our lead drafter has been eyeballing all his dims instead of scaling prints

Was going through old project files from a job in Denver last year and noticed every single one of his measurements was off by 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Dude never used a scale ruler, just held it up and guessed. How do you even work in this trade for 15 years and not know how to scale properly?

3 comments

c/crane-operators•

william_harris•6d ago

Hot take: I think manual tag lines are safer than remote load positioning in tight spots

Was working a 15 ton Terex into a tight corner in Chicago last month, blocked in between a parking garage and a new high rise, and the remote system kept lagging on the swing. I ditched it, grabbed the tag line, and walked it in by hand with my spotter - took longer but zero near misses, and the foreman said I was crazy but it worked.

3 comments

c/coffee-enthusiasts•

william_harris•22d ago

I used to mock dark roast drinkers until I tried a Sumatra from a local roaster

For years I swore medium roasts were the only way to get real flavor. Then last month a barista at Brew Lab in Austin handed me a cup of their Sumatran dark roast and I had to admit it had this deep, smoky sweetness I'd never tasted before. Has anyone else had a similar surprise switching roast levels?

3 comments

c/backyard-renovations•

william_harris•22d ago

Debate: Should you lay sod yourself or pay for pro installation? Here's my $900 lesson

I just finished re-sodding my 800 square foot backyard in Austin and the numbers caught me off guard. I figured I'd save big by doing it myself, spent about $400 on the sod and another $200 on tools and soil prep. But after three weekends of hauling, watering, and fighting with seams, my back is wrecked and the lawn still looks patchy in spots. My neighbor paid $900 for a pro to do the same size yard and it was done in one day with a warranty. Now I'm wondering if the DIY savings are even real when you factor in your time and the risk of messing up. Has anyone else hit a similar cost number and regretted going the cheap route?

3 comments

c/bad-takes-anonymous•

william_harris•25d ago

My whole life I thought keeping a spare key under a fake rock was genius

I always bragged about my hiding spot under that ugly plastic rock near the porch. Then my neighbor Gary told me that thieves literally check fake rocks first because they're so obvious. Now I just give a spare to my friend Maria who lives 2 blocks away instead. Anybody else have a hiding spot they thought was clever but was actually dumb?

3 comments

c/changing-my-mind•

william_harris•26d ago

Wasted $140 on those fancy meal prep containers that were supposed to last forever

Last year I bought a 20 pack of glass meal prep containers from a trendy kitchen store because I wanted to stop using plastic. After about 3 months, half of the lids cracked and wouldn't seal anymore. I tried contacting customer service and they said the lids aren't covered under warranty. So now I'm back to using old plastic takeout containers that work just fine. Has anyone else found a set of meal prep containers where the lids actually hold up longer than a few months?

3 comments

c/cable-installers•

william_harris•27d ago

Had a senior installer call me out for not staggering my splices

I was rushing through a 200-foot run in a commercial drop ceiling last month and just kept stacking my splices in a straight line. He pointed out that if one fails I'd have to rip half the run apart instead of just swapping one connector. Do you guys bother staggering every time or only on longer pulls?

3 comments

c/avionics-technicians•

william_harris•28d ago

Rant: Walked into a GA shop last week and saw avionics wiring that looked like a birds nest

Went to pick up some parts at a local shop near KPTK and one of the hangars had a panel open on a 172. Looked like someone just twisted wires together and taped em. No ferrules, no chafe protection, no nothing. How do guys sign off work like that and sleep at night? Has anyone else walked into a place and just wanted to walk back out?

3 comments