u/Familiar-Bluejay3908

I just finished programming a CMM inspection for a mid-sized support made out of formed sheet stock, .250" thick with machining on 2 faces. The bottom of the 1 part was datum A, the bottom of the second part was datum E. There were 2 large holes on the top as B and C, and the machined step they were located on was D. F was a hole on the bottom, centered on the outside edge. Two smaller holes on the top were J and K, and 2 small holes on the bottom were G and H, and the machined step F was in was datum L. Whew!

So now come the datum callouts, and every circular, cylindrical, or planar surface had a different combination of these ELEVEN datums, some of which made no sense at all; like a hole on the lower surface aligned to datum E (lower), F (lower), and C (upper)?? Huh???? And, since this is Calypso, I have to enter each alignment in my alignment library, which was more than TWENTY!

Also, when you get these 'skewed' datums, I often create a secondary "cartesian" version just so I can report how far off the locations are in the axis shown on the print, like alignments "FGB" and also "FGB-cart", using the line from B to C as my default X+ direction.

Lately, I have a big project with multiple elements going into big sub-assemblies for probably spaceflight or military avionics. Each part has a $h!tload which each need a diameter as well as a position (some also a perpendicularity). On this current element, I have 40 Ø.126 holes each held to a .007 RFS position, than I also have 19 Ø.166 holes held to .007, with a compound of .005 pattern position. So, I'm creating a lot of Ø's at the feature-level, but positions take a lot of time to set up; I have to create the position for DIM 27.3.1, then copy/paste 39 times.

Each new position iterates to the next number; 27.3.2, 27.3.3, etc. But, is it possible for the feature target number to iterate as well, instead of doing the next 39 by hand? Right now, I have to open each up, and advance the feature number manually.

Anybody know of a shortcut here?

I'm OK with Calypso in general, except when it comes to slots (and we do a LOT of slots). After trying 'creating' a slot from the 2 end radii (too time-consuming).

The method I use mostly is this taking of points inside the slot manually; 3 points on the one radius, 1 point on the side, then 3 points on the other radius, being careful to keep them at roughly the same depth. Of course, this means rotating the CAD model at least twice. Sometimes it will realize it's a slot after the 5th point, usually on the 6th point, but sometimes it NEVER realizes it's a slot, and I just $h!t-can the feature and start over.

THEN, as soon as I can save it as a slot, then I go into the Strategy window and replace the points with an actual slot-measurement, usually in profile-style, 200 points on radii and 50 points on the sides, at .050 speed.

This seems like a lot of work. I can just use 'circle in cylinder' for a location circle and THAT automatically gives me a profile-style measurement of 50 points at .060 speed. Why can't a slot me as easy??

So, am I missing an easier way?

I'm sure you all use some sort of inspection-specific software at work aside from the basic Word and Excel (of which WE rely on far too much..). I have my issues with Calypso, I'm glad that somebody else is using GageTrak now, and NetInspect is a bit of a pain, but I've become used to it by now. But InspectionXpert? Oh my gawd; what a pain!!

It takes so long to load, or to make updates. I sit for 5-10 seconds sometimes to save, and then go on with the next characteristic. It can't read numbers or text worth a $h!t, adds strange things into weird places, and for position callouts, it almost NEVER gets them right.

At BEST, it's correct maybe half the time. It does kill 2 or 3 birds with one stone, so even as glitchy as it is it saves a lot of time, but it sure doesn't FEEL like it when you are in the middle of a multiple sub-components build and have to prepare 18 separate aerospace FAI's in 1 week....

My take on the entire "Moorish national" fallacy is that it was a sub-genre popular with African- Americans, and is based on 2 elements:

1. Some old treaty the U.S. had with the "Moorish Kingdom" from the early 1800's, and

2. The now-obsolete usage of the term "moor" to mean any African, either northern or sub-Saharan. I believe this is pretty close to a true definition as I have read.

But recently, I've seen very obviously white people using the "Moorish" script. I mean, WTF?? I know most of these people are close to functionally illiterate, so I guess they don't realize it's a "black thing"? Still, every time some hillbilly claims "Moorish" citizenship in a traffic stop, I really can't keep myself from chuckling....

Kidney transplant 2 years back, 65 now but have been on Medicare since age 53. Traditional Medicare with supplement and Part D policy. For the first 10 years, I have had an Excellus BCBS type F which the Kidney fund through Fresenius paid for. That ended when I got my transplant, so I got a Type F from Globe Life in 2025, and switched to a Globe Life type G-HD in 2026. So far, so good.

We plan to move from Western NY to the Palm Springs area in October, 2027.

Globe does not offer Medicare Supplemental in CA. I have since turned 65, so all supplement policies should be available now, whereas when I was last looking, a few were not. So, I'm confused as to what I should do? Should I look for a provider that has policies in both areas at the end of THIS year? Or just renew, then deal with it when I move?

I also know that CA has some unusual supplement policies available, but I'm not sure if those are anything I should be looking at.

Any help navigating these new paths in California would be greatly appreciated.

In the last year or so of watching SovCits creating unintentional humor in court sessions, I've come to recognize a few scripts which get used often that are written to an educational level higher than what the user achieved. On at least 3 occasions, I have heard SovCit 'defendolts' say that they "do not akweez", and was at first baffled as to what that meant. YouTube auto-translate just said the word was "akweez", which doesn't appear in any English dictionary I've ever found. Then, it hit me:

The word is "acquiesce". He did not ACQUIESCE to the findings, fines, etc.

So, any of my fellow SovCit court surfers have other examples of humorous mis-readings or botched pronunciations?

Stopped at Jasmin on Mt. Hope to get lunch and.....they are closed! Sea Me Go? Closed, too. Even the Starbucks at 12 corners is closed. Is it just this time of the year, or has the health department been giving out closure orders this week??

I have a 2025 Legacy and a Yakima roof rack with Yakima towers. These screw into those 4 roof mounts under the little protector doors with an M6 screw. However, the mount inside each door has TWO M6 threads about 1 cm apart. They are threaded holes on a thick sheetmetal stamping. I fear that just using 1 on each tower isn't strong enough, and was wondering if anybody makes something like a solid block of steel (4140, maybe) that can screw into both threads and also have a threaded hole for the 1 M6 screw from the Yakima tower to screw into?

Looking to move to the valley next year. We are planning on having a U-box shipped, and would like to be able to access our stuff between the time it gets there and when we finally buy a house. U-Haul charges $99/month, but the accessible storage lockers at Cathedral City are $139/month and up! I can get one at the U-Haul place in Hemet, but don't look forward of the possibility of making several trips over THAT road in the winter months (if needed). So, I'm looking for cheaper, climate-controlled storage along I-10 anywhere from DHS to Indio.

Also, any info on whether having a U-box delivered there would be an issue or not?

With the summer heat, what businesses open early for people wanting to beat the heat? Supermarkets? Restaurants? Large retailers? Small businesses?

So, we are moving from NY to CA (Palm Springs area) next year. I asked about what I needed to do for my Medicare, and got some good advice. Now I'm asking for my partner.

He's 73, in good health, but some cancer in the family (lived in NYC, so....), and he has a zero-dollar Medicare Advantage plan. It's not one of those "Capt. Kirk" or Joe Namath schlock policies; it's actually one through a "blue cross" company. His copays are reasonable, but his max out-of-pocket is $9k/year. We have funds, and I'd have to say that in the 8 years he's had it, he has paid a lot less for Medicare than I have. But, he's wondering if it's time to change?

I'm assuming he'll need at least another MA plan out there, but will he need to get one quickly, or wait until the new year? Also, he'll be 74 next year, and I'm not sure with underwriting if a supplement plan would even be a viable option. What should he be looking for?

In the period between January and June, is there any 2-week period that would be the most affordable? What about further south, or even in (gasp) DHS? We plan to start house-hunting, so we don't need no resort...

I've been getting a lot of exercise in the heat this summer, and drinking a lot of water as well. But I'm still prone to cramps, and was wondering what sorts of electrolyte drinks/powders are safe for me? I know that a lot of the Gatorade-style things probably have extra stuff that would screw-up my bloodwork levels and maybe even add things which interfere with my meds. So, is there any sort of hot-weather electrolyte mixture designed for kidney transplant patients?

OK, I know this may be a bit off-topic, and I hope it doesn't get 'political', but I just wanted to share my idea of the perfect 'corporate motto' for Medicare, and was also hoping to hear yours.

MEDICARE

Confusing the elderly since 1936.

I'm 65, but with ESRD, so I've been with Medicare for 12 years now. I currently live in upstate NY, have Parts A, B, and a part D drug plan with Wellcare. My Medicare Supplemental plan is a G-HD plan with Globe Life. No real questions on all that. But, we are planning to relocate to the Coachella Valley in CA next year, and I have questions:

First, will I need to change anything during the year I move? Will my part D or my plan G-HD be good in CA?

Then, for the next year, what should I be looking for? Can I stay with the same supplement plan, or does CA allow me to change? Will underwriting happen? Are there special supplement plans in CA that cover more stuff like vision and dental? Not sure how all that works in CA.

NY is one of only 5 states that allow you to change your supplement plan at any time, and require 1 fixed rate for all. Most states are more complicated...

I'm 65 and retiring next year. My partner (73) and I want to move to the palm Springs area (Cathedral city, hopefully?) from upstate NY. We are downsizing, and don't plan to take hardly any furniture, so we might be able to use an 8' long "Pods" container, or 1 or 2 of the smaller U-Move or U-Haul containers. I will be the person doing the packing and unpacking. Any hired labor needed, I can find myself. FWIW, I think the 8' PODS container may be a bit too big...

We will be selling our house and living temporarily in a rental while finding a new house, so there will also be storage needed. I need some ideas of things, both generally and specifically for the locations we are going between, and finding that any vendor wants more personal info than I am willing to share at this moment. Here are my questions, in no specific order:

How much is shipping pod-like units going to cost?

How much will storage cost, and will I be able to shift all our stuff into an accessible storage unit? We will probably need to go to the unit a few times to get/drop things during the rental period.

Any god/bad storage places in the Coachella valley?

Anything else I should know? I need to get an idea of what is worth considering before I meet with a salesperson.

UPDATE: I'm getting a lot of good advice, but nobody has quoted any prices yet. Anybody??

Looking for an inexpensive but clean place to rent for maybe 2 months while we find a house. Central location would be nice (Cathedral city, etc.), must have parking. How much am I looking at here?

My rack setup is an amalgamation of Yakima products from then last 20+ years. Currently I have the type of tower that is removable (except for the foot), which screws into the mounting holes on my roof channel with M6 screws. This roof rack has been with me since my 1996 Camry (when the towers were door-clips) through 3 other cars to my current ride. I often mount 2 bikes on the rack; a road bike and a touring bike. Weight limits for this rack are unknown, but I figure it's good for 100 lbs. in normal driving.

Here's my first question; each tower screws in with a single M6 bolt. Even using a metric-graded bolt, that seems like a lot, especially considering that there are 2 cap-nuts available at each mounting point. I suppose I could design a 2-into-1 adapter made with 4140 steel so that the load gets spread across 8 cap-nuts instead of 4, but I figure that there must be somebody who has already done this, or at least tried to, Does anybody offer such an adapter?

My second question is associated; next year I plan to move from NY to southern CA, and was planning on buying a cheap roof basket with a waterproof cover to carry some bulky stuff, as well as my 19 lb road bike and my 29 lb touring bike on their respective carriers. Yes, fuel economy will suffer (and I have the Sport model, with the WRX motor that needs 93 octane, too..). A 4-into-8 adapter like mentioned above would help spread the load, but am I asking too much of my roof rack? I plan to go interstate the entire trip.

My rack setup is an amalgamation of Yakima products from then last 20+ years. Currently I have the type of tower that is removable (except for the foot), which screws into the mounting holes on my roof channel with M6 screws. This roof rack has been with me since my 1996 Camry (when the towers were door-clips) through 3 other cars to my current ride. I often mount 2 bikes on the rack; a road bike and a touring bike. Weight limits for this rack are unknown, but I figure it's good for 100 lbs. in normal driving.

Here's my first question; each tower screws in with a single M6 bolt. Even using a metric-graded bolt, that seems like a lot, especially considering that there are 2 cap-nuts available at each mounting point. I suppose I could design a 2-into-1 adapter made with 4140 steel so that the load gets spread across 8 cap-nuts instead of 4, but I figure that there must be somebody who has already done this, or at least tried to, Does anybody offer such an adapter?

My second question is associated; next year I plan to move from NY to southern CA, and was planning on buying a cheap roof basket with a waterproof cover to carry some bulky stuff, as well as my 19 lb road bike and my 29 lb touring bike on their respective carriers. Yes, fuel economy will suffer (and I have the Sport model, with the WRX motor that needs 93 octane, too..). A 4-into-8 adapter like mentioned above would help spread the load, but am I asking too much of my roof rack? I plan to go interstate the entire trip.