I was behind two cars on the freeway, one in lane 1 and one in lane 3. They both decided to merge into the center lane at the same time. I remember the sound distinctly because it was so different than I expected. It sounded like two large, empty cardboard boxes hitting each other. No screeching tires or glass breaking sound (both windshields and side windows broke, but remained intact). It was very unexciting.

Shouldn’t that be “photodivergent”?

I learned recently that not everyone can see the fluorescent flicker. It’s unnerving and feels a bit like being buzzed on caffeine. It’s not so bad in the offices with indirect lighting. Also, cheap LED lights can flicker. I clung to my incandescent lights until they all burnt out.

OK, so ambivalence. I’m lazy, I can get behind that. Also, I appreciate the work you’re doing. I gave up years ago and am still labeled by my family as “the one who cares too much about things that don’t matter.”

Who uses chrome by choice?

I’m sorry to hear that. I remember renting and the feeling of having no control over the whims of the landlord.

Vote.

I ran my small HOA for 1 term and people came at me, bitched about stuff and I got them to come to a meeting where the other homeowners could express their concerns about the proposal and we’d come to an agreement and write up a change. It was no big deal. We even negotiated group rates for shared services and made it so that the costs of the HOA were offset by the savings from the services.

On the other side of the coin, when I left my position to give somebody else a turn at the process I largely automated, they ran it into the ground and bankrupted it while chasing a personal grievance against the city.

Somehow, the HOA attracts power hungry nobodies but they can be voted out if you’re willing to work at it. Also, talk to your neighbors. My guess is that there are others who would back your proposal.