Wow, so 10 - 15 days off a year is considered good?
It's just that i heard Scott mentioned vacation days on the latest show and whether or not he would use an extra one for Magfest next year. Got me wondering how much you value them. At 25 a year, I can be a bit relaxed with burning a few here and there. They build up so fast.
Well it's not like you only get that many days off a year. You could take plenty more off with good excuse, you just won't get paid for them.
Oh man. We get 9 sick days as well, that accrue. I am capped out at 50.
WTF USE THAT SHIT!
Are you suggesting he just call out sick when he's not? Constantly being out sick is not a great way to get ahead in your office. On the other hand, if you are allowed to use your sick time for routine maintenance type visits like checkups and dental cleanings, get on that! At least in my office, this isn't looked down on at all. The sick hours are viewed as a way to not have to wait weeks and weeks to schedule doctor visits because nights and weekends are always booked. Book it for during work and take a half day.
My wife works as a production manager doing cooking television shows
Which shows?
She worked on The Emeril Lagasse Show earlier this year, then switched out of food for a little bit to do Jersey Couture cause they were filming 20 min from my house, and is now signed on for a few seasons of Unique Eats for The Cooking Channel.
I don't actually get The Cooking Channel but from what I understand it is the sister channel to Food Network (same owners) that airs actual cooking shows now that Food Network has become nothing but reality TV, in a similar fashion to how MTV stopped showing music videos and offloaded them to sister networks. If you do get The Cooking Channel and are familiar with the show Five Ingredient Fix, then know that it got canceled after 1 season and the stove from the set is now in my kitchen. Job perk to make up for no paid time off!
Oh yeah, there's a Gyros joint here that has a ketchup dispenser loaded with tzatziki. So I eat their fries with tzatziki. Soooooo good.
Tzatziki is the ultimate condiment for fries but it's not easily available, sadly. I don't even like french fries but I could eat an unlimited amount given a sufficient amount of delicious yogurty goodness.
Question - As far as I know down here, If you get pulled over by the cops, you pull over, turn off your car, and then meet the officer at the back of the vehicle - safer for everyone, you see. Is this the done thing in the US? I've had the advice given "Yeah, don't do that, unless you like having guns pulled on you" - which for the record, I don't.
That's the truth. The cop pulls you over, lets you sweat for a while, and then saunters up to your driver's side window and then goes from there.
Also, remember to keep your hands on the steering wheel. Don't go digging around in the glove compartment or your pockets for ID and registration until the cop tells you to.
Also, remember to keep your hands on the steering wheel. Don't go digging around in the glove compartment or your pockets for ID and registration until the cop tells you to.
I have seen highway patrol officers approach cars stopped for moving violations with a firearm drawn and held behind their back. US cops are serious business.
Also, local laws vary on whether or not you need to keep your hands on the wheel. But, better safe than sorry.
I have seen highway patrol officers approach cars stopped for moving violations with a firearm drawn and held behind their back. US cops are serious business.
Also, local laws vary on whether or not you need to keep your hands on the wheel. But, better safe than sorry.
That's true, It depends if you violate certain rules in the suburb, like DWB or the like if you are in the wrong area... :-(
I've been pulled over twice in 14 years of driving and both were pleasant experience. It's highly variable.
Last time I got pulled over in the US, the cop was approaching the back of the car, and I hopped out - hands visible, of course, I'm not new when it comes to dealing with cops - and went to the back of the car and called out a greeting, it was quite fine, I'd just pulled an illegal left without realizing, and after having a big of a mag with him about Australia and answering a few questions about if we have to pull snakes out of our cars a lot, and other such things, he let me off with a warning because "Ah, you're pretty new here, you didn't know. Just be careful next time." He seemed a little twitchy when I hopped out, but he chilled out when I had my hands visible, and waved to him with a smile and "G'day Boss, howyagoin?"
I've been pulled over twice in 14 years of driving and both were pleasant experience. It's highly variable.
It depends a lot on whether or not the officer wants to be a dick and if they're having a bad day because if they REALLY wanted to, they can find something to charge you with.
Last time I got pulled over in the US, the cop was approaching the back of the car, and I hopped out - hands visible, of course
A friend of mine did this and immediately had a gun pulled on him. The cop yelled to get onto the ground and put your hands where he could see them, even though he already had them above his head. Everything turned out fine, but cops are super jumpy sometimes, and I don't like to chance it.
That reminds me, another time, I was riding with a friend in the passenger seat and his girlfriend in the back of my car. I was pulled over for 70 in a 55, but because my long hair made me look like a druggie (I guess), he walked up to the passenger side of the car, took my license and my friend's license, asked me to step out of the car, PATTED ME DOWN, PUT ME IN HIS CAR, and then he asked me like 20 questions about who the girl in my car was, if she was underage, if she was being held against her will, etc. This was before he had even run our licenses. After he saw that nothing was out of the ordinary, he took me out of his car, gave me the ticket, and told me to be on my way.
I don't know how different it is in other areas, but I'm in the Florida panhandle, where crime isn't even that bad. I'd hate to see what happens anywhere else.
Any time that I get pulled over, I place my hands onto the steering wheel and wait for the cop to walk up. Then, once he says that I can move my hands, I slowly go for my license, registration, and insurance.
A friend of mine did this and immediately had a gun pulled on him. The cop yelled to get onto the ground and put your hands where he could see them, even though he already had them above his head. Everything turned out fine, but cops are super jumpy sometimes, and I don't like to chance it.
That reminds me, another time, I was riding with a friend in the passenger seat and his girlfriend in the back of my car. I was pulled over for 70 in a 55, but because my long hair made me look like a druggie (I guess), he walked up to the passenger side of the car, took my license and my friend's license, asked me to step out of the car, PATTED ME DOWN, PUT ME IN HIS CAR, and then he asked me like 20 questions about who the girl in my car was, if she was underage, if she was being held against her will, etc. This was before he had even run our licenses. After he saw that nothing was out of the ordinary, he took me out of his car, gave me the ticket, and told me to be on my way.
I don't know how different it is in other areas, but I'm in the Florida panhandle, where crime isn't even that bad. I'd hate to see what happens anywhere else.
Any time that I get pulled over, I place my hands onto the steering wheel and wait for the cop to walk up. Then, once he says that I can move my hands, I slowly go for my license, registration, and insurance.
I think I just had the luck to get a nice guy - it was a pretty chickenshit ticket, anyway, and I was as nonthreatening as possible. I just didn't realize I was lucky at the time. I should note, this happened in LA, on a slow, Sunday afternoon, all in all, a nice day out. I was driving a normal rented car, not speeding, I just made an illegal turn without realizing, and all was chill.
I don't know how different it is in other areas, but I'm in the Florida panhandle, where crime isn't even that bad. I'd hate to see what happens anywhere else.
Once, I was driving with a friend of mine (who happened to be black) in the suburbs and the cops followed us for 2 miles from the gas station and then pulled us over for failing to use a turn signal. The cop walks up to the passenger side, gets my friend out the car and is searching him before my information was even taken or looked at. He then searched the vehicle, threatened to arrest both of us, accused us of armed robberies and car thefts that had apparently occurred in the area, and followed me back to my house, where he tried to make me let him search my trunk. Another time when I was in Detroit, the cops pulled me over with two of my friends (both black), robbed both of them, locked my keys in my car, and separated me from the rest of the group (told them all to get the fuck on but held me at the scene for 30 minutes). Registration, insurance, IDs were all legit in both situations, no warrants etc, just asshole cops that fuck with people because they can.
A lot of states are passing laws now that you have to move over one lane if available when there is a traffic stop. Lowers the odds of a trooper getting clipped on the highway or having their door knocked off. Just be aware if you are coming to the states, it's not a common law but it could get you in trouble.
Comments
I value vacation days a lot. I hate getting sick with the flu, because that means that I can't go to the beach in the summer.
I can see why vacation days might not be just blown on a con. If I only had 14 I would have to actually plan!
I usually pop a day or two for gaming related *research*.
I don't actually get The Cooking Channel but from what I understand it is the sister channel to Food Network (same owners) that airs actual cooking shows now that Food Network has become nothing but reality TV, in a similar fashion to how MTV stopped showing music videos and offloaded them to sister networks. If you do get The Cooking Channel and are familiar with the show Five Ingredient Fix, then know that it got canceled after 1 season and the stove from the set is now in my kitchen. Job perk to make up for no paid time off!
Also, local laws vary on whether or not you need to keep your hands on the wheel. But, better safe than sorry.
He seemed a little twitchy when I hopped out, but he chilled out when I had my hands visible, and waved to him with a smile and "G'day Boss, howyagoin?"
That reminds me, another time, I was riding with a friend in the passenger seat and his girlfriend in the back of my car. I was pulled over for 70 in a 55, but because my long hair made me look like a druggie (I guess), he walked up to the passenger side of the car, took my license and my friend's license, asked me to step out of the car, PATTED ME DOWN, PUT ME IN HIS CAR, and then he asked me like 20 questions about who the girl in my car was, if she was underage, if she was being held against her will, etc. This was before he had even run our licenses. After he saw that nothing was out of the ordinary, he took me out of his car, gave me the ticket, and told me to be on my way.
I don't know how different it is in other areas, but I'm in the Florida panhandle, where crime isn't even that bad. I'd hate to see what happens anywhere else.
Any time that I get pulled over, I place my hands onto the steering wheel and wait for the cop to walk up. Then, once he says that I can move my hands, I slowly go for my license, registration, and insurance.