User:Chiefbozx

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     chiefbozx
credit card man, retired wielder of Mjölnir
Basics
Location"The Cities", Minnesota, United States
Time zoneUS Central
Language(s)English, Spanish
GenderMale
MRT information
Current rankGovernor+
Notable projects G8  Orwyn Mall (unincorporated)
 XW15  Vermilion (Governor)
Schillerton (Senator)
Biwabik (Mayor)
JoinedJuly 13, 2012
AcceptedJuly 13, 2012
GovernorSeptember 8, 2015 - October 1, 2017
August 13, 2023 - present
ModeratorJuly 15 - 16, 2012
October 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018
AdministratorJuly 16, 2012 - September 8, 2015
January 1, 2018 - August 13, 2023
SupporterNovember 29, 2015
Social networks

Hi! I'm chiefbozx (usually nicknamed to Chief), but sometimes people misspell it as cheif or chef. I've been around since the day the server opened. On the New World, I'm Mayor of  XW15  Vermilion, Schillerton, and Biwabik. I'm frequently... implicated in a number of things around the server. Whether or not I am actually responsible is an exercise for the reader. :)

I served two terms as a member of staff: from Opening Weekend (July 2012) through September 2015, and from October 2017 through my retirement in August 2023. I served as the server's first official Head Administrator from June 24, 2020 through August 13, 2023, after which I passed the reins to SimonScholar.

Achievement get!
FIRST!
Join the server during its opening weekend.
Glowlight Award.png
 Glowlight Award Winner
Admod for Impact
Category winner of The Glowlight Awards

MRT line logos project

I designed the maps for the MRT line logos! I pulled the color scheme from Dynmap and other sources and the icon set from Font Awesome. Here's the list of icons and what they mean if they're not obvious.

The MRT Marina Shuttle, which is officially a branch of the Expo Line, is designated XM in the icon map system, and is indicated with the Expo Line's color and icon but with an anchor in the upper left instead of directional double chevron.

FAQ

How do you pronounce Biwabik?

The closest way to write it without using the International Phonetic Alphabet is "bih-WAH-bick", with the first "I" being short. The first syllable sounds like the first syllable of "befriend", and the last syllable sounds like the first syllable of "bicker". If you speak IPA, then either /bɪ'wɑbɪk/ or /bə'wɑbɪk/ is correct.

The actual town of Biwabik, Minnesota, pronounces it "BYE-wuh-bick", or /ˈbaɪwəbɪk/ in IPA. As someone who has lived in Minnesota for over 20 years, this pronunciation baffles me, however I will technically accept it.

The pronunciation "BEE-waah-bik", as suggested by hvt, is incorrect, as is "bih-wah-buh-back" (from wipeout111) or "bee-way-bick" (EliteNeon)

Is Biwabik really only Councillor?

It was for a long time! But as of June 20, 2021, it has been promoted to Mayor.

Tulipsburg? RailNorth? MNA? Huh?

Yeah, I'm involved in the Metropolitan North Association MPO.

RailNorth One is a train line belonging to RailNorth, which is the railway division of TransNorth, which is short for MNA Department of Transportation.

Why is Sibley Plaza called Sibley Plaza?

Henry Sibley was elected the first governor of Minnesota in 1857, and Biwabik is a town full of Minnesota references. Guess what state I'm from!

Isn't the Biwabik flag just the Carnoustie flag backwards?

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it's actually a flag borrowed from this /r/vexillology post. Promise.

How can I get the MRT line maps?

They're in the Map World Library, section Blue-7A and Blue-8A.

What other maps are there in the MRT line style?

Several!

  • Cardinal directions: Northbound, Eastbound, Southbound, Westbound in colors matching their respective lines.
  • Inbound (in Expo Line colors) and Outbound (in Zephyr Line colors)
  • Clockwise and Counterclockwise (both in Circle Line colors)
  • Arrivals Only
  • Exit
  • Inner Rail and Outer Rail (both in Circle Line colors)
  • Line Not Open - Do Not Claim (This is installed on most Western Line South stations)

More could be added based on demand. Let me know if there's one you'd like to see!

Are you on the MSP Airport Email List?

Yes. I am a giant nerd.

Do you know the phonetic alphabet?

Yes. I don't technically need it for my job, but it does come in handy. I learned it in college for... reasons.

How do I spell Vermilion?

VERMILION

There is one L in Vermilion. Some people like to try to insert about 50 Is, L, Os, and Ns into the name, but that's not how it's spelled! The following are examples of incorrect spelling:

  • Vermillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllion
  • Vermilililililioononoinoinoinn
  • Vermiiiilliiiionnnnnn
  • Vermilionion

How do I get to Vermilion?

Take the MRT Expo Line to  XW15  Vermilion Station. It takes about 15 minutes from  X0 - Z0  Central Park, or 14 minutes from  AX - D1 - M1 - XW1  Central City SW by riding the MRT.

Alternatively, take the Circle West warp to  C89 - XW20  and take the Expo Line inbound 5 stops to Vermilion. That route takes about 4-5 minutes.

How to I get to Schillerton?

Schillerton is connected via the IntraRail Mountain Lion and MCR at Maple Street Station. You can also fly in to Schillerton Sayles Hill Airfield (SSH), or take Hummingbird Boat Lines to Division Street Terminal.

If you're in Whiteley's Turing Square, you can take the STC X1 express bus to Division Street Terminal. The closest MRT stations are  D28  Foobar,  D29  Foobar, and  ZS21  Foobar.

How do I get to Biwabik?

Hummingbird Boat Lines serves Sibley Plaza on lines 33, 35, and 45. Alternatively, take a Clipper Airlines seaplane from MRT Marina, or Neptune Heli Shuttles or RodBla to Biwabik Zippel Bay.

How do I credit cards?

This is a whole separate topic because it varies significantly based on financial stuff, what country you're in, and what you want to do with the points. If you have access to US credit cards, that's great, as the most lucrative points systems and sign-up offers are in the US.

I've found One Mile at a Time to be a really useful blog for ongoing travel news, and Ben (the author) has a comprehensive Getting Started guide on the blog and his YouTube channel.

I have three rules when it comes to my credit cards:

  • No purchase is made on the cards that would not be purchased if the cards didn't exist. (In other words, each purchase must be funded and backed by Actual Money before being executed, and I decide to buy something independent of the payment method.)
  • No interest is paid on the cards (as balances are paid in full and on time each month, and all of my cards offer a grace period).
  • No additional fees will be paid solely for using a credit card on a purchase, unless that purchase and/or its associated fee are necessary to reach a sign-on or annual spending threshold bonus, or earn rewards that are worth more than the fee being paid. (For example, my apartment building charged a 2.5% fee to use a credit card.)

Annual fees are worth it in some circumstances, but not others. They are not Always Bad. Do the math before getting a card with an annual fee (don't forget that second year value will be different from first because of the sign-on bonus).

In the US, there are a couple of rules of thumb for cards and benefits:

  • If a card has an annual fee, it usually won't charge foreign transaction fees. The inverse also holds fairly well - cards that don't have annual fees generally do have foreign transaction fees, and usually around 3%. There are exceptions.
  • If a card has an annual fee of $450 or higher, it will generally include some form of airport lounge access (often, but not always, Priority Pass) AND a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.

How do I airplane?

Here are some tips I've figured out while flying a lot. Sources in parentheses are the airports where I've had to use these tips. (Dear fans: please stop editing this, but feel free to make your own travel advice)

  • Google Flights is your friend. Also, The Matrix. (Sources: Literally everywhere I've flown)
    • Put AIRLINES DL KL AF AZ KE VS VA WS AM in the "extension codes" box of the Matrix and thank me later.
    • Want to avoid Delta's Basic Economy? Use the command AIRLINES DL; F bc=y|bc=b|bc=m|bc=h|bc=q|bc=k|bc=l|bc=u|bc=t|bc=x|bc=v in the "extension codes" box.
  • I'm a member of Global Entry, which has been a real timesaver both on domestic flights with PreCheck, and when returning to the US. If it makes sense for you to get it, apply for it. It costs $100 to apply and it's good for five years. (Sources: MSP, BOS, DEN, LAX, PHL)
    • Some credit cards will reimburse your Global Entry membership. (Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of them.)
    • Your Global Entry card is a valid form of federal ID. It will get you on a plane past May 2023. (MSP)
    • Don't even TRY to use the GE kiosks if you're not a GE member! They won't let you even swipe your passport if you haven't been accepted. (MSP)
    • Travel with your GE pass. You usually don't need it to travel, but it's super helpful to have. Case in point: if the kiosks go down, you get to cut the line as a Global Entry member, and having your card then is super helpful cause then they can just put you at the front of the line with no further questions. This saved me three hours once when the customs computers died and I needed to connect. Also, it helps to flash this to get into Nexus lanes at some Canadian airports, or if you fly into Tom Bradley International Terminal in LAX where the signs make no sense. (MSP, YVR, LAX)
    • Not only do you get to cut the line if you have kiosk issues: they will literally shut down EVERY SINGLE OTHER LINE (including MPC and the crew lane) to clear Globals if they have to. I'm not kidding. (MSP)
  • Learn to walk quickly. (Sources: MSP, MEM, AMS, DTW, CDG, ICN, SLC)
    • Alternatively, learn to sprint while pulling luggage behind you. (ICN)
  • MOVING WALKWAYS: Walk on the left, stand on the right. (Most airports have them, just follow this rule and I won't get mad at you)
    • Escalators: In general they follow the same rule, but at airports I will forgive you, because they're never wide enough to handle two people with suitcases passing each other. (MSP, DEN, PVR)
  • If you have to take a train in an airport, there is always ample warning before the doors close. If you see lights flashing, warning messages overhead, or you hear announcements that the doors are closing, DO NOT BOARD. The next train is like two minutes away. (MSP, DEN, CDG, SEA, DTW, MCO, MIA, ATL, FCO, EWR, LAS)
  • If you have to take a bus to connect flights, get ready for a test in arm strength, because unlike trains these might only run every ten minutes. Grab on tight! (JTR, ATH, CDG, BOS, FLR, PVR, HAV)
  • Read signs. (BOS, BCN, AMS)
    • Exception: CDG, from 2F to 2E-M, follow signs to 2E-K instead and go through passport control. Once you've done that, then go to 2E-M. Alternatively, you can follow signs to 2E-L and go through the L/M passport control, but you'll wind up walking a lot more. (CDG) Update: This is a lie because CDG has garbage design. Follow the signs otherwise you'll have to clear security when you otherwise wouldn't need to. The signs point you in the only route where you don't need to clear security again!
  • ALWAYS. CARRY. ON. Unless you have something that MUST be checked, you should always carry your bag on the plane. That way, you have access to everything on the flight. Furthermore, you are in control of your bags, so nothing can get lost en route. (SFO, HNL, OGG, AMS, BCN, ICN, ORD)
    • DO NOT check on outbound international flights. Ever. (AMS)
    • Checking on inbound international flights is fine, but not advised, especially for Global Entry members - you WILL beat your bags to the carousel! (CUN, BCN, CDG, KEF, AMS, NRT, ICN, CNS, LAX)
    • As such, do not fly Frontier or Spirit. Ever. Once you add in bag fees, Spirit and Frontier are actually more expensive than Delta more often than not.
  • Take trains to airports! (MSP, SFO, BOS, CDG, LHR, AMS, NRT, ICN)
    • Exception: ATH, don't take the Athens Metro to the airport unless it's convenient and the times line up. The trains only run every half hour to the airport, and the ticket is €10 as opposed to €1.60. Also, avoid Athens.
    • Exception: If you're traveling in a group of more than two or three, it's probably cheaper to rent a car or grab an Uber. Of course, if you're getting picked up, that's the best option! (DEN, SYD)
  • Rent cars directly from the big name companies at the airport. Do not - and I can't stress this enough - DO NOT use "a guy" or an OTA to book car rentals. My family has been screwed over on this fact alone one too many times, and a few years ago we officially banned all third parties from being involved in car rentals. (HER, CNS, FLR, LIR)
  • Book things (especially rental cars and hotels) as far in advance as you reasonably can. (PHL, LIR, KEF)
  • Learn the layout of airports, it helps a lot. Often times, airlines, alliances, and/or flights to specific regions will be grouped together. (VCE, AMS, MSP)
    • MSP: For now, Southwest, Icelandair, JetBlue, Condor, Frontier, and Sun Country are in Humphrey. Everyone else is in Lindbergh. (Within Lindbergh: A through D are Delta Connection, E is non-Delta, F and G are Delta mainline. Some Delta mainline flights use gates in C and D, but it's more likely you'll be on F or G.)
    • CDG: 2E is for flights outside Europe. If you see a gate starting "K", "L", or "M", that's in terminal 2E. (Fun fact: Air France and KLM are SkyTeam airlines owned by the same holding company.)
    • BOS: International flights, regardless of airline, arrive at terminal E (except preclearance). They can depart from any terminal, these are grouped by airline.
    • AMS: I figured out Schiphol! B/C and upper D are for Schengen flights. Lower D and E/F/G/H are non-Schengen. If you have to cross border control to connect, do it before you do literally anything else.
  • Grab connection details on video screens as early as you can. If you're on a tight connection this will help immensely. (AMS, CDG)
  • Fly SkyTeam if you can. If you have a tight connection, they will usually hold the plane for an extra couple of minutes, or they'll meet you at the gate to literally drive you across the apron to make your connection. American will not do this. (This has never happened to me personally, but it happens a ton at MSP and ATL, both Delta/SkyTeam hubs.)
    • Furthermore: Delta may even bring the jetway back to the plane if it's getting ready to push off and you just got to the gate. (Happened to a friend at DEN)
    • Regardless of airline, if you think your connection will be tight, ask the flight attendants to notify the ground crew at your destination. They will also usually let you deplane ahead of the rest of your cabin. (DTW)
    • Sometimes they will also send agents to meet your inbound flight if you've got a tight connection. (Of course, Diamonds could get a Porsche transfer, but us lowly plebs and Silvers have to sprint through the airport.) (ICN)
  • Just fly direct... (MSP, CUN, BOS, LHR, PVR)
  • Amsterdam Schiphol: Allow a minimum two and a half hours for connecting if you need to go through passport control or security. Any less than that and you WILL need to run if you don't have Privium. Most other airports require 1-2 hours to connect. (AMS)
    • I have seen a friend of mine have 35 minutes to connect in ATL. Fortunately she was on WN (Southwest) so the gates were right next to each other, and there were no delays, so she was fine. BUT! DO NOT DO THAT. (ATL)
    • Update: I've done an AMS connection in 44 minutes from a C gate to an E gate - including going through passport control and US pre-flight security (and a full secondary screening). I was traveling with a Platinum Medallion and had to walk AirportSpeed™ in order to make the connection. Had we done anything else before going through the border, we probably would have missed the flight. BORDER FIRST, QUESTIONS LATER!!! There are food places and bathrooms on both sides of the border!!!
  • If you use an Apple Watch and the boarding line is backed up, a gate agent may bring out a portable scanning device and scan your watch with it. It makes a pew pew noise. It's awesome. You don't have to touch anything. (MSP)
  • Your SkyMiles card is a valid boarding pass to get on a Delta plane, but not necessarily to get through security. (MSP)
  • If you are handed a receipt upon scanning your boarding pass, your seat has been reassigned. Follow instructions on receipt. (MSP, BOS, ATL)
    • If you are handed a receipt upon scanning your face, your seat probably has not ben reassigned, but double check your receipt to be sure. (MSP, ATL, LAX)
    • If you are handed a receipt upon scanning your SkyMiles card, you probably knew your seat already, but you get a free reminder. (MSP)
  • Get your ID out before you get to the desk at security. If you use a mobile boarding pass, get it ready when you see the podium and scanner. (MSP, DEN, SFO)
    • Along this line, put everything else in your bag beforehand. For me, this means that I remove my ID from my wallet, and put my wallet and phone in my bag, before entering the security line. I put my boarding pass on my Apple Watch. TSA agents have been very confused, but it works!
    • The Amex Green charge card costs $150 a year, but knocks $100 a year off CLEAR. The Amex Platinum costs $695 but covers CLEAR in full. You should never pay full price for CLEAR anyway - you can link a Delta SkyMiles number to it and get a third off.
  • Don't let your passport expire or get too close to expiring before you travel! Passports are too cool to let expire. (BZE)
    • Turns out some countries make it far more annoying than others to get or renew your passport. I'm familiar with the American process, which allows you to renew by mail once you have an "adult" (10-year) passport.

I'm going internationally. How do I avoid paying ridiculous amounts for data charges on my phone?

On iOS, here's my routine:

  1. Settings > Cellular > Enable Cellular: OFF
  2. Control Center > Enable Airplane Mode
  3. WAIT for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to turn off
  4. Control Center > Enable Wi-Fi
  5. Control Center > Enable Bluetooth

This last step is only really needed if you use Bluetooth devices like an Apple Watch. (If you use an Apple Watch, and Airplane Mode is mirrored, go to the Settings glance and disable Airplane Mode to allow it to re-connect.) Upon returning to the US, perform the above procedure in reverse order.

The FAA allows the use of Bluetooth device on board planes, but if you're not going to actually use it during your flight, keep it off (you'll save on battery).

If you're on Verizon, and going to Canada or Mexico, consider TravelPass.

How do you spell your name?

chiefbozx, all lower case, or Chief, with a capital C and everything else lowercase.

Acceptable nicknames include "CHIEFIE" and "Master Chief".

What does "Thou hast been smitten!" mean?

It means someone ran the /smite command, pointed directly at you. Or you used /kit smite and therefore smat yourself.

When did the server open?

July 13th, 2012. I forget the exact time, but it's in the logs somewhere. People sometimes call it the 14th, but it's actually the 13th, because that's when everything was published. I also applied that night (the timestamp on my member application was 7/13/2012 22:45:28).

Wait, you were mod on day 2?

Yes. Yes I was.

Back in the day we only had four ranks:  Guest ,  Member ,  Mod  and  Admin . There was no  Mayor  rank when I first joined. The story goes that I was online quite a bit the first couple days, got accepted as member, and asked Frumple for a WorldEdit. Since he had no idea how to do WorldEdits, and I did, I was promoted up to Mod.

(For whatever reason, I was then asked to be admin on July 16th.)

How cold does it get in Minnesota?

In recent winters the Canadians have sent polar vortices to Minnesota, sending temperatures and wind chill temperatures to -50°F in the Twin Cities. But we normally hover about 10-15°F as high temperatures in the dark, cold months of January and February. In the summer we normally get up to about 7585°F (thanks, climate change) as a high, though we have broken 100° several times.

Or, we could have El Niño mess everything up. (Blame the Canadians.)

Why do you use Fahrenheit?

The shortest answer is to look at XKCD 1643, specifically the bits about "SI prefixes less relevant for temperatures", "rounds more usefully", and "0°F to 100°F good match for temperature range in which most humans live". I'm fully aware that using Celsius has its benefits.

Outside of weather temperature and calculating airline status qualification metrics, I'm all for using metric. Maps and workout tracking on all of my devices are configured in metric units.

Besides, there are rules of thumb for Fahrenheit:

  • 50°F = 10°C.
  • If it's less than 40°F out, watch out for ice.
  • If it's more than 90°F out, turn on the AC. (This is personal preference - being a northerner, I can take cold fine, but not so much the heat!)
  • If it's below 0°F out, you need frostbite defense measures (hat, scarf, gloves/mittens, etc) if you'll be outside for more than a few minutes. The amount of frostbite defense will vary based on how cold it is, how much wind there is, and how long you'll be outside.

Blue, Green, or Red?

Green, obviously!

Update: After scientifically testing both train lines, the Blue Line is way faster to get to downtown, so now I pick Blue.

Do you actually play using a laptop/trackpad/Mac?

Most of the time. I do have a desktop setup where I plug my laptop in to a monitor and use a mouse, but it's all the way over on the other side of the room. It's just easier for me to use my laptop and trackpad. I'll use the mouse and big desktop setup for livestreams, big events, or anytime I need either a big screen or a wired connection.

Or at least, that was the case until I moved into my apartment, and now I have a dual monitor setup that I use most of the time.

Specs (Birch): Mid 2015 15" Retina MacBook Pro, 2.5GHz Intel Core i7, 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM, and combi graphics (AMD Radeon R9 M370X and Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB). That's my old laptop that I've since upgraded.

Specs (Rowan): Mid 2019 15" MacBook Pro, 2.3GHz 8 core Intel Core i9, 16 GB 2400 MHz DDR4 RAM, and combi graphics (AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB VRAM, and Intel UHD Graphics 630 with 1536 MB/1.5GB VRAM). Yep, upgraded that one too.

Specs (Juniper): 2023 16" MacBook Pro, M2 Max (12 CPU cores, 38 GPU cores), 32 GB DDR5 RAM

Keyboard: Logitech MX Master Keys for Mac

Mouse: Logitech MX Master 3 for Mac

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