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-   -   The Water Cooler, Scuttlebutt, Chit Chat Thread (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=1105191)

himespau 05-18-17 10:41 AM


Originally Posted by topflightpro (Post 19592605)
unless you can get a glowing recommendation from your undergrad prof, I'd suggest going with your current manager.

Yeah, there's a couple of different lines of thought about that. Including one old one that's really good plus some new ones shows a pattern of excellence (assuming all are related to what you want to do). Showing a wide variety of different types of people to provide references (assuming the rules don't specify that the people providing them are _________) shows you perform well in a wide variety of areas (which is especially important if what you're applying to do isn't directly related to what you've done before). As recent as possible shows what you are doing now (which is what most people care about and should be the majority of the references). If they don't limit you, you can always do both. There was one time in my life when I wish I'd put extra letters in. I had to have letters from people who met X, Y, and Z categories. I had really strong letters from people in X and Y categories, but the one from Z was not very strong (and I knew it wouldn't be, not negative, just someone who didn't know me well). I knew several other people who fit into category Z and would provide me strong letters, but they knew me because of something other than category Z, so they didn't fit (but offered to write me letters anyway without me asking them). I got one of the positions I'd been looking for with the packet of letters I sent out anyway, but I think one or two extra letters from those people who didn't quite fit the categories would have provided a better view of how rounded I was and what I was capable of without being too many extra to be obnoxious.

globecanvas 05-18-17 11:54 AM

I know weather talk is boring but good lord. Hypothermia Sunday, 95 degrees yesterday, predicted to be in the 40s for the Saturday AM ride.

TMonk 05-18-17 12:50 PM


Originally Posted by topflightpro (Post 19592605)
And T-Monk, unless you can get a glowing recommendation from your undergrad prof, I'd suggest going with your current manager.

What? I think you meant Mikey.

topflightpro 05-18-17 01:04 PM


Originally Posted by TMonk (Post 19593063)
What? I think you meant Mikey.

Yeah, Mikey. Sorry.

TMonk 05-18-17 01:22 PM

no worries. I had to go back a page to make sure I didn't post something that I forgot about haha

mike868y 05-18-17 04:53 PM


Originally Posted by topflightpro (Post 19593105)
Yeah, Mikey. Sorry.

the manager wouldn't be a current manager, I haven't worked there for about a year (since i went back to school) and my old manager has actually moved on to another company.

Flatballer 05-18-17 07:43 PM

It's pretty weird that someone you didn't know that well used you out of the blue years later. I'm guessing they must have been struggling to get references, or specifically needed a professor and grad school didn't go well.

Unless someone specifically told me I could use them whenever (and I've got a few of those) I give them a heads up beforehand. If it's for a job I give them a heads up anyway.

My latest reference deals were for professional engineer licenses, and I used 5 people from a couple jobs back, who I worked with for many years, and have used before for PE references (your references all have to also be licensed). I didn't let them know beforehand, but they were just getting an e-mail with a form to fill out in this case, and I knew they'd all be cool with it. And if they weren't, I could just delete the reference and add a new one.

When I applied for this job recently, I asked everyone beforehand, because I knew they might get a random call, and I wanted them to be prepared.

Flatballer 05-18-17 07:46 PM


Originally Posted by mike868y (Post 19593652)
the manager wouldn't be a current manager, I haven't worked there for about a year (since i went back to school) and my old manager has actually moved on to another company.

A manager who is now at a new company is probably a better reference anyway. Managers are sometimes prevented by policy from giving references on employees at their current company. If they're just giving it as a personal reference, it's different. But when they're a manager it sort of comes from the company, and opens the company up to lawsuits for defamation and stuff.

I know a couple jobs back managers were supposed to say "Call this number for employment verification. Goodbye." Most of them would give personal references though, even though they weren't supposed to.

crazyarm07 05-18-17 08:31 PM


Originally Posted by Doge (Post 19592515)
My son needed 9 ref letters to get into one military academy.

3 for the congressman to get the nomination.
3 after getting the nomination, before the appointment (acceptance).
And then 3 after the appointment, follow-up/security check etc.

I don't remember needing that many. Of course this was 14 years ago (2003), so maybe I'm misremembering. Not that it matters, that just seems like a lot - did they all have to be from different people?

Also, the correct term for USAFA is not "military academy", it's something between "boarding school" and "upscale country club" (PS I'm a USMA 2007 grad, and my dad is a USAFA 1966 grad)

miyata man 05-18-17 09:09 PM

Between having family that attended that academy plus having lived in Colorado Springs and this reference tangent I could fill a few pages. I'll stick to a humorous job references story.

I have a Swiss friend whose references are all Nobel Prize winners. Sweet, huh?

He ended up taking an unpaid internship in the US where he was left utterly alone accounting to no one person in particular. Out of spite for being handed this lowly position he quietly began redoing their entire flawed infrastructure from the ground up with his days. About three months in he went too far with his penetration into their system and raised a giant alarm which saw him escorted out under threat of deportation and a whole slough of other threats they couldn't enforce. To celebrate we spent an entire day cleaning six grocery stores out of American junk food which he shoved into a set of steamer trunks and 8 suitcases for his short trip back home to Europe with the complete list of unobtainable American goods his family requested.

When he got back he was finally settled down enough to explain the job ordeal. The companies that didn't just assume he was padding his resume with outrageous unsubstantiated claims, he is very smart himself and was slumming it a bit over here to begin with, infuriated him to no end by quizzing him the entire first interview about said references. Due to the time difference and the Swiss operating on a very different level nobody believed him. To add to this the type of people in question are quite busy. The real kicker ended up being the false flags thrown up by one of these companies that does background checks. About here he lapsed into curses but the gist of it was he went into the nation wide system as unemployable due to his own fastidiousness, accredited unimpeachable record, and bulletproof list of a dozen references that should have opened any door he knocked on.

Doge 05-18-17 09:10 PM


Originally Posted by crazyarm07 (Post 19594149)
I don't remember needing that many. Of course this was 14 years ago (2003), so maybe I'm misremembering. Not that it matters, that just seems like a lot - did they all have to be from different people?

Also, the correct term for USAFA is not "military academy", it's something between "boarding school" and "upscale country club" (PS I'm a USMA 2007 grad, and my dad is a USAFA 1966 grad)

No they didn't have to be from different folks. I think he used about 7,8 and went to coach twice.

True - military came out, met to say service academy, could have said USAFA. I can't think of a better place for a cyclist student (Pepperdine is close). I didn't mean to suggest it was hard. I doubt much is as hard as cycling. I don't suppose the other schools are much different. I think all have toned it down a bit.

And thank you for your service.

crazyarm07 05-18-17 09:16 PM


Originally Posted by Doge (Post 19594232)
No they didn't have to be from different folks. I think he used about 7,8 and went to coach twice.

True - military came out, met to say service academy. Can't think of a better place for a cyclist student (Pepperdine is close). I didn't mean to suggest it was hard. I doubt much is as hard as cycling. I don't suppose the other schools are much different. I think all have toned it down a bit.

And thank you for your service.

I'm just kidding when I bash on USAFA....I'm just conditioned to never say nice things about them or navy. You're right, it's definitely been toned down across all the academies (for better or worse), but in the end they're all great places, and I'd advise you to encourage your son to take full advantage of all the opportunities he'll have there over his 4 years. It's way too easy to get into a nice comfy groove at those places and end up missing out on some once in a lifetime opportunities (kinda like how I passed up marching in a Presidential inauguration parade). That may mean he's off the bike for a while, but IMO, it's worth it.

Doge 05-18-17 11:00 PM


Originally Posted by crazyarm07 (Post 19594249)
I'm just kidding when I bash on USAFA....I'm just conditioned to never say nice things about them or navy. You're right, it's definitely been toned down across all the academies (for better or worse), but in the end they're all great places, and I'd advise you to encourage your son to take full advantage of all the opportunities he'll have there over his 4 years. It's way too easy to get into a nice comfy groove at those places and end up missing out on some once in a lifetime opportunities (kinda like how I passed up marching in a Presidential inauguration parade). That may mean he's off the bike for a while, but IMO, it's worth it.

Well I rather think a Country Club is superior to roughing it, so no offence taken. When you are the branch in charge of satellites, ICBMs and cyber warfare, other than discovering character (not building it) I'm not a fan of making it harder for no real purpose. I'm right next to Camp Pendleton (500m - really). They are different. But they need to be.

big john 05-19-17 07:36 AM

I watched the end of yesterday's stage of the TOC on the computer. I've climbed those roads many times and to watch them do it is amazing. The last 4 miles gains 2000 feet and has some 15% ramps and these guys were attacking each other up there. It's rare that I can make it all the way up without stopping for a minute.

It reminded me of the time RacerX hosted the event (he lived near the bottom) and we rode up to watch. He put on orange dredlocks and ran alongside Quintana, yelling in Spanish. He fed us at his place after the race, and I saw the orange dreds on TV on the late repeat show.

merlinextraligh 05-19-17 08:46 AM


Originally Posted by Doge (Post 19594232)
. I can't think of a better place for a cyclist student (Pepperdine is close).

Have a teammate who graduated from the Naval Academy, and raced collegiate there.

He said it was great for cycling. He had 3 hours or so every afternoon to train, after classes, before dinner.

Doge 05-19-17 09:11 AM


Originally Posted by merlinextraligh (Post 19595082)
Have a teammate who graduated from the Naval Academy, and raced collegiate there.

He said it was great for cycling. He had 3 hours or so every afternoon to train, after classes, before dinner.

I learned with my daughter that with good grades and athletics - doors open where great grades alone won't do. So with both kids we leveraged sports. The cross for cycling was rowing.
We visited Georgetown,Annapolis and Princeton as he was thinking of rowing for college as a lightweight.
He thought he'd have to give up cycling at all those campuses both due to rowing and area. Then he decided he didn't want to give up the bike, unless he had to, and that changed things. The Navy campus is amazing (we didn't go to West Point) but while I have not seen all the area around it I'd be surprised if Maryland can compete with the Colorado area for cycling. Maybe the East Coast riders will correct me. I am often surprised what hidden great cycling roads exist where I'd never expect them. Anyway, now service is first, there is a balance between riding and school. Both are suffering because of each other. I guess that is a normal thing.

USAFA "campus" has a nice paved 20 mile loop on it using the 1986 worlds RR course - which he owns the final hill KOM on :-) https://www.strava.com/segments/9093042

mike868y 05-19-17 09:37 AM

I'm not terribly familiar with the riding around the naval academy, but the riding around (north) of baltimore far exceeded my expectations.

merlinextraligh 05-19-17 01:57 PM

Anybody have any experience with electric tankless water heaters.

We're finishing a basement, and the existing water heater is in the way of where the bike will be stored.

So one answer is tankless. We've got a gas tankless water heater in our first home, and it works well, and pays for itself.

This would need to be electric, given where it's located. The reviews of this one are excellent. I'm just doubting you can heat enough water fast enough with electric to be functional.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AHO8AK...ed96a9aced7d84

himespau 05-19-17 02:05 PM

A few years ago, people were doing tankless in tandem with a very small (5 gallon?) tank. Don't know anything about lately.

Flatballer 05-19-17 05:34 PM

I don't know about the riding near the naval Academy, but I raced a collegiate crit there that had a downhill 130 degree turn with a sharp transition from hill to flat and lots of sand from recent snow.

There were many crashes.

Enthalpic 05-19-17 06:30 PM


Originally Posted by merlinextraligh (Post 19595962)
I'm just doubting you can heat enough water fast enough with electric to be functional.

"Tempra 36 models require 208 or 240 volt electric service, with a maximum draw of 27,000 watts at 208 volts or 36,000 watts at 240 volts

A minimum of 300 amp total service to the residence is necessary, as a Tempra 36 has a power draw of 150 amps via 3 separate 60 amp breakers with 6 gauge copper wiring."

36,000W of electricity...

Flatballer 05-19-17 06:52 PM


Originally Posted by Enthalpic (Post 19596553)
"Tempra 36 models require 208 or 240 volt electric service, with a maximum draw of 27,000 watts at 208 volts or 36,000 watts at 240 volts

A minimum of 300 amp total service to the residence is necessary, as a Tempra 36 has a power draw of 150 amps via 3 separate 60 amp breakers with 6 gauge copper wiring."

36,000W of electricity...

Wow. 36kW in a house is seriously intense. That's like 25 microwaves at once or something. Better put that close to the electrical panel, I wouldn't want to run that wire very far at 6 gauge without getting out my code book.

carpediemracing 05-19-17 08:27 PM


Originally Posted by Enthalpic (Post 19596553)
"Tempra 36 models require 208 or 240 volt electric service, with a maximum draw of 27,000 watts at 208 volts or 36,000 watts at 240 volts

A minimum of 300 amp total service to the residence is necessary, as a Tempra 36 has a power draw of 150 amps via 3 separate 60 amp breakers with 6 gauge copper wiring."

36,000W of electricity...

300 amp service? I've never heard of such a thing for a regular house around here. We have 100 amp service. The normal "upgrade" is to go to 200 amp.

The biggest normal thing you'd plug into an outlet is 1500w, like a hair dryer or toaster. Our microwave is 900w I think? I should check. 36k watts is nutty.

I bet that water is plenty hot, quickly.

mike868y 05-20-17 07:44 AM


Originally Posted by Flatballer (Post 19596449)
I don't know about the riding near the naval Academy, but I raced a collegiate crit there that had a downhill 130 degree turn with a sharp transition from hill to flat and lots of sand from recent snow.

There were many crashes.

ahaha i love that crit! although it was never sandy when i did it.

globecanvas 05-21-17 04:27 PM

I did the Farmer's Daughter gravel grinder ride with my brother in law. It was a gorgeous course and a fun day, but I have to say I don't really get the whole organized ride thing. I'd have been much happier to just ride the course without the 400 other people. TBH I'd also have been happier to ride it 2 hours faster, but that's what brother in laws are for.

https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram...02602496_n.jpg

Heathpack 05-21-17 11:32 PM


Originally Posted by globecanvas (Post 19600235)
I did the Farmer's Daughter gravel grinder ride with my brother in law. It was a gorgeous course and a fun day, but I have to say I don't really get the whole organized ride thing. I'd have been much happier to just ride the course without the 400 other people. TBH I'd also have been happier to ride it 2 hours faster, but that's what brother in laws are for.

https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram...02602496_n.jpg

Beautiful pic, @globecanvas. I'm with you on the organized ride thing. If you will chip time me, ok, I'll pay and race that day. Or Ifyou proved water in a waterless place, that I'll pay for. Otherwise, I'd rather ride with 4-5 people & keep the day chill.

topflightpro 05-22-17 09:24 AM

I've been getting a bunch of phone calls from the same number in DC. I don't answer calls if I don't recognize the number, and this caller has not left any voicemails.

But when I googled the phone number, it is apparently an extension at the Department of Justice.

merlinextraligh 05-22-17 09:25 AM


Originally Posted by carpediemracing (Post 19596766)
300 amp service? I've never heard of such a thing for a regular house around here. We have 100 amp service. The normal "upgrade" is to go to 200 amp.

The biggest normal thing you'd plug into an outlet is 1500w, like a hair dryer or toaster. Our microwave is 900w I think? I should check. 36k watts is nutty.

I bet that water is plenty hot, quickly.

I'm checking with the Contractor and the Electrician to see if its feasible.

himespau 05-22-17 09:29 AM


Originally Posted by topflightpro (Post 19601647)
I've been getting a bunch of phone calls from the same number in DC. I don't answer calls if I don't recognize the number, and this caller has not left any voicemails.

But when I googled the phone number, it is apparently an extension at the Department of Justice.

ruh roh...

:roflmao2:

caloso 05-22-17 10:52 AM


Originally Posted by topflightpro (Post 19601647)
I've been getting a bunch of phone calls from the same number in DC. I don't answer calls if I don't recognize the number, and this caller has not left any voicemails.

But when I googled the phone number, it is apparently an extension at the Department of Justice.

I get calls to some number in DC fairly regularly. I figured out it was some sort of IT helpdesk at a federal agency. My prefix is 202 and people forget to dial the 1.


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