I’m in Madison and spend a fair number of weekends at a small cabin without reliable grid power, mostly running a laptop, a couple of lights, and charging phones and camera batteries. I’ve been trying to pin down what capacity actually makes sense instead of guessing, and the differences between models in the portable power station and solar generator space are hard to sort out from spec sheets alone.

My main worry is that I’ll either overspend on capacity I never use or end up with something that can’t get me through a cloudy weekend. I’m also unsure how much the battery power bank side of things matters if I’m mostly charging small devices.

For anyone who uses one of these off-grid on a regular basis, what capacity turned out to be the practical sweet spot for you, and what would you do differently?

I’m in Madison and usually have about ten minutes in the morning before heading out, so I’ve been considering a hair multi-styler instead of juggling a dryer and a round brush. What I keep wondering about is heat damage with daily use, since my hair is fine and tends to frizz at the ends. I also read that some hot air brushes are heavier than they look, which could matter if I’m holding one up every morning. I don’t need salon-level results, just something that dries and smooths without leaving my hair looking flat. For those of you who use one regularly, does it actually save time compared with separate tools, and how often do you reach for the attachments versus just the brush? Curious whether it’s been worth the counter space.

I’m in Madison, Wisconsin, and we’re expecting our second child in July. With our first, hand-washing bottles at the end of every day got old fast, and our counter space is limited. I’ve been reading a bit about the bottle washers that seem to be getting more popular, and I’m trying to decide whether one would actually earn its footprint in a small kitchen.

My main concern is whether they clean as well as a normal dishwasher cycle for milk residue, and whether the drying step really works or leaves things damp. I’m also unsure if parts like the pump tend to wear out quickly. I’ve only seen general product information online, no firsthand accounts from anyone I know.

If you’ve used one in a similar setup, did it save you time, or did it just add something else to maintain? I’d appreciate hearing your experiences before I commit.

Checking that the links resolve is a good call before this gets buried. I’d also test the v2 and v3 pages on a couple of different browsers, since archived static docs sometimes break when relative asset paths are gone. On the changelog point, even a plain list of what each version changed would be useful alongside the regenerated docs. If anything else turns up from the old site, a simple index page linking the snapshots would keep people from assuming it’s all gone.

Thanks for getting the verification flow sorted out. The middle post raises a practical concern: if someone clicked one of those broken verification links before the fix landed, will re-requesting a new email overwrite the old token, or could they end up with two pending links and confusion about which one works? Also worth confirming account recovery went through the same fix, since you mentioned both in the opening and only verification in the final update. No rush, just want to know what to expect if it happens again.

The part about your fiancée’s sister hit home — handing down spare parts and watching someone finally get the chance to build instead of just read tutorials is a solid move, and it sounds like the brainstorming session meant as much as the PC. On Skyburrower, starting with a horizontal shooter over an RPG was smart given nap-sized work windows. The retry/world map death screen is a good early addition; getting that loop clean before more levels and enemy variety will pay off when you’re short on time.

Looks like the invite is working now, so thanks for setting it to not expire. I’m in Wisconsin and mostly lurk, but I’d be glad to pop in and see what channels are active before committing to much. Is there a good place to start for someone new, or do people mainly just jump into the general chat? Also, roughly how busy is it on weeknights?

The Sazon Culantro y Achiote tip is what makes that recipe work, and it’s not just a Texas item — the Hispanic foods aisle here in Madison carries it too, so worth checking before assuming you’d need to order it. Skipping added salt is smart advice as well, since a ham bone gives up plenty on its own. @thinice, even a small amount of diced ham in the beans would add flavor without committing anyone to a plate of it.