Cool and clear today. Should be a nice day. It was very nice yesterday but I’m not feeling like doing anything outdoors when my head is draining through my nose. Today I’ve got no choice.
Spent most of yesterday doing auction things. I really wanted to get a bunch of stuff in an auction before Christmas. I also spent some time fixing some stuff. I did get to my auctioneer and dropped off about 6 tubs of stuff. A drop in the bucket, but the mightiest river is nothing but drops, right??
Made some slow cooker carnitas for dinner, portioned and vac sealed the other 6 pounds of pork shoulder for later, did a load of laundry, picked up both kids from school, and cleaned parts of the house. I’m a regular domestic terror…
Today I’ve got to get D2 to her orthodontist, then I’m headed to my client’s house to do some minor stuff. I’m hoping to get out of there before the end of the day and get some shopping in. I’ve still got stuff to get together for the non-prepping hobby Christmas party I’m co-hosting this weekend. Don’t want to leave that to the last minute.
At some point I need to figure out a Christmas gift for my wife too.
… don’t falter…
—————–
The question for the day is “how do you dress?” Not in the traditional tailor way, but in the “what do you wear when you leave the house way”.
I’d bet money that most of the people here are wearing the same stuff, sometimes literally, they’ve been wearing for the last 20 or more years. I’d bet that you are pretty set in your routines, have a closet full of clothes, and mostly wear the same few outfits. You might have “work” vs “home” vs “dressed up” but I bet the range is pretty narrow.
I realized I don’t have any blue jeans. NO jeans in any color in fact. I might have mentioned that here recently because I picked up a couple of pairs at the Goodwill. Why would I do that if I haven’t worn any in over 20 years? Well, I’ve been giving it some thought lately.
For a long time I’ve treated clothes as a uniform, or more accurately as a costume to be worn to match what I was doing. Working in a corporate environment? Tan or black Dockers, logo’d golf shirt. Doing construction work in that environment? Cargo pants, collared shirt over t-shirt. Corporate training or live event outdoors? Tan shorts, logo’d golf shirt… No t shirts. “We do not wear T shirts, because we are not T shirt guys, and don’t want to be paid like T shirt guys.” That was a lesson from one of the first bosses I had doing all sorts of temporary labor in the entertainment field. It’s a variation of “dress for the job you want,not the job you have.” It served me well over the years.
Since I no longer run in the rat race, I dress only for me. And yet… I dress pretty consistently. Cargo shorts or pants, so I can carry a bunch of stuff. T shirt under a casual collared shirt to hide my EDC. Shirt must have a collar and a pocket for my glasses… which give an excuse for the shirt, which is really there as a “cover garment” as the trainers say. Clip knife front pocket strong hand side, FLASHLIGHT rear pocket weak hand side, decent shoes, sturdy watch…
The main difference between what I’m wearing and the tacktical tommy is I’m wearing Wrangler cargo pants and not high speed tactical pants, my watch is simpler, and my beard isn’t as glorious… but I still have the look. Less so now that my mustache is growing, and my beard (goatee really) isn’t very ‘operator’, and definitely less so when I’ve got my old man hat on, but still, the ‘tells’ are there. My bearing is also noticeable, not as twitchy as a cop or operator, but still pretty alert compared to most people. Head up and looking around, certainly. I tell myself this is by design, to be open to meeting other like minded individuals, and to fit in with that culture, but it’s really because I’m comfortable dressing this way.
Given all that, I’ve been advocating that people might want to build out their wardrobe a bit. And I have over time.
You might want some oversized clothes. They will disguise your relative health and robustness when you go to the .gov food line for your handouts. They can cover a vest, or a second layer of clothing, or some contraband if things get really sporty… they can disguise the gender of your loved ones, who will be particularly vulnerable as rule of law, and social norms collapse.
You might want some clothes in patterns that will work as camo without being actual camo. There are usually a TON of suitable shirts at my local Goodwill store. It’s more about a pattern and combination of colors than WHAT the pattern is composed of. You might even want a set or two of clothes that are smaller than your normal size if you expect to get lean when the lean times come- although I’d guess that most of us already have clothes we no longer fit, but could again after a certain amount of ‘austerity.’
You will want your clothes to look well worn, but you might have occasion to dress up or down. Looking shabby can help you fit in better in some places, while the khakis and golf shirt are like a ghillie suit in other environments. Fitting in and NOT drawing attention are your normal goals. Grey man isn’t about the color, it’s about not standing out. Some places that will mean camo, and lots of it. Not .mil or surplus anymore, but faded realtree is pretty common outside of big cities. Carhart jackets, ball caps from different companies (I’d avoid teams unless you are really a fan, and the local gangs don’t use the colors or logos), and maybe even T shirts might be the uniform of the day in other places.
Depending on your goals and plans, you might want to take it even further. There are many costumes available in thrift stores. Most of the time, all you need are tan or black pants, and the right logo’d golf shirt. Delivery companies, local utilities, counter and wait staff for local and national food chains or retail stores, all have signature looks and they all end up on the racks at the thrifts… don’t forget footwear, most of the time black sneakers will work. People tend to see the uniform and not the person, which can certainly be a plus in some circumstances. You might just want styles or colors you don’t normally wear, for those occasions that you don’t want to wear something that will go back into your closet when you are done doing whatever you do… I’m sure there are people who went to a rally or event and wish they’d worn some clothes that they don’t normally wear, and maybe a hat and a face mask…
You might want a high visibility safety vest and a hard hat. Don’t forget your clipboard, gloves clipped to your belt, and even better, a walkie talkie… that outfit will let you walk into almost anywhere…
And for a pro level tip, sometimes you WANT to stand out with a clothing choice. When I’m working an event, I often wear a distinctive hat or shirt. People that need to find me can be told to “look for the guy in the bright yellow shirt” or “the guy wearing the hat with bunny ears” (this was a community Easter egg hunt)… or conversely you might want to get people to focus on and remember an easily changed item of clothing, so that someone else might be looking for “the guy in the Cubs hat and white hoodie”, long after you’ve left them in the trash. Current security cameras and VMS or Video Management Systems recognize and tag images so that it’s possible to find all the video around the office building of “a man wearing a red hat” so use the strategy best suited for your activity.
It all comes down to having two goals when thinking of your wardrobe as a costume. You want to fit in with the other people around you most of the time. That takes observation, and mimicry. Other times you might want to project a certain image, looking like someone you are not. That is mostly having the right visual cues, and an appropriate demeanor. Both goals take a bit of preparation and observation, and I’d say a certain amount of practice too. This is a great time to start, when the stakes are not as high as they might be later. But even if things don’t get worse, not standing out can save you from becoming a victim of crime, can easy your way through life, and can even save you money and time.
So, why did I buy some jeans? Because I realized I didn’t have any pants that weren’t “me”. I didn’t have anything that was out of character for my everyday persona, that people are familiar with and recognize. I thought it might be prudent and useful to have something that didn’t say “that looks like Nick”. And I bought jeans because they are versatile, common, and ordinary– unlike parachute pants, or tweed dress slacks…
Take a look at your closet. If your circumstances changed, if the world changes, if you had to shop in different places, walk through different areas, ride a bike or a bus, could you dress in a way that didn’t draw attention, that didn’t mark you as an outsider, or a potential victim? If you wanted to be out and about but still remain (relatively) anonymous, could you? If not, get busy. You have some shopping to do.
nick
(and stacking)
“Ink” has become a midlife crisis outlet for X-er women here in the US. I noticed in Milwaukee that the fad has moved on to neck tattoos, which I consider to be a sign of a serious mental problem.
Living in Austin and Portland before that, I consider “ink” a huge turnoff, but it isn’t a problem in the corporate world any longer. Managers fantasize about getting their strange on but safely, and anti-smoking campaigns are increasingly effective at eliminating that kink from being indulged at the office.
As for the photo reversal, that probably has to do with with whether the page looks “right” to the layout editor. The DM still has to sell papers in the home market.
“Death In Paradise” returns with the Christmas Day special, accompanied by a “Beyond Paradise” holiday show as well.
No word on when the Australian spinoff, “Return to Pardise” premieres yet. Probably summer.
Mice And Minds: Part 1
On clothing:
I have two pair of jeans. One blue, one black. I almost always wear those to a biz gig with a dress shirt, tie, and blazer/SC. I wear cargo pants and shorts most of the time. I get generic ones on the ‘Zon, but have some 511s I really like. I also like the cheap “fisherman” shirts with the vented backs and pockets. The ‘Zon, and surprising, H-E-B. I have decades old clothing in my closet. MrsAtoz goes through wardrobe like Taco Bell through Mr. Ray!
I dress like I did in the military: same clothes for a week unless they get soiled. Change undies daily, and done. Any wrinkles are easily ironed out.
I’ve tried to teach all of our kids two things I learned upon entering the military: “the leaders recon” and “situational awareness.” Whether tactical or social, scope out the environment you are going to enter. Dress and act appropriately to the majority of Hoo-Mons. Situational awareness will keep you out of a situation where you might “fear for your life.” Why go down a dark street in DC after dusk when you already know that is where the thugs hang out. I’m always on alert in Vegas. They didn’t base CSI there for nothing.
Years ago, in Vegas, The Twins wanted to go to a friend’s quinceañera. It was afterdark in an area just north of the Strip. I drove them there with apprehension since I was not familiar with the area. The party was in a bar, so I parked and observed. The bar was inside one of those closed-in quads surrounded by businesses. One way in, one way out. About five bars among the businesses. There was a large, dimly lit place in the corner with the windows painted over. An occasional person went in. My SA kicked in and I Googled the address. A swinger’s club. Ew. Then I saw “kids” arriving for the party. 15-16 year olds. The shortest of short dresses and skirts. Who lets their kids dress like that and go to a bar? I looked at The Twins and told them we were leaving. They didn’t complain. Good for them.
Use the “leaders recon” and “situational awareness” to stay safe.
So, you admit you may have me on video. Honestly, I thought it was a Taco Bell.
Vegas and New Orleans share the same “ normal rules don’t apply ” vibe. Easy to get in trouble there.
47F this morning. Sitting at the orthodontist waiting for youngest.
N
Austin has the same thing going centered on 6th Street, especially during the two big Bacchanalia festivals, South by Southwest (Spring) and Austin City Limits (Fall).
All of Travis County is slowly moving that way, which is prompting an exodus of families from the city proper. San Marcos, perpetually rumored city for the next NFL expansion team and home of Texas State, is also turning.
Legalize weed in Texas, as was done in Vegas, and the Austin region would get ugly in a hurry.
Caught part of an interview on the news last night. Some executive with either a Houston food bank or umbrella organization. He claimed that food price inflation was 3%.
I would not follow stock advice from that man.
Along those lines:
Years ago I read advice on traveling & staying in a foreign country for extended periods of time (for business).
Along with the usual ( avoid dark alleys & overly friendly young women ) there was a suggestion to use a local barber and to buy a set of clothes from a local store, because people clue in on these things at an unconscious level.
people clue in on these things at an unconscious level.
– absolutely. There is a Harry Harrison story, part of the Stainless Steel Rat origin, where the hero comes into the big city from the countryside and finally figures out how everyone knows he’s a rube, they used different fabrics and patterns for clothes… that stuck with me since reading it decades ago.
When I was traveling for work, I could spot germans by their eyeglasses, french and italians by their colorful socks, and other Euros by their jeans. They also led the way with skinny jeans and tapered leg pants. There are plenty of places where grown men don’t wear shorts (short pants) so cargo shorts stand out like a sore thumb. Most places outside of Europe, men don’t wear sneakers or athletic shoes, they wear dress shoes even if they are cheap crappy ones.
I went to a bar in Abu Dhabi that used a “No sandals” rule to keep out locals.
Even here in TX, there are places where you iron a crease into your jeans, and places where you don’t… and the Mexican workers like their laundry detergent to have a bold fresh scent, because it’s a brag to be able to do laundry and an important social statement to be able to keep yourself and your clothes clean.
You don’t have to be “An American Psycho” level clothes horse to know that different firms and different industries have different styles of dress at various levels and at different firms. This is something the ‘spectrum’ kiddies that end up in tech positions miss entirely, or disregard, much to their detriment if they want to advance at a company. It’s not just prepping for a fallen world where knowing how to blend in is important.
n
I bought a pallet at a local auction that had several boxes of paper hand towels. A couple dozen rolls total, with each roll equivalent to 8-10 rolls of paper towels by weight.
After using a wholesale connection to buy the matching dispensers. I put one up in the shop this weekend.
Two mounting holes inside, and right next to them a permanently mounted bubble level.
I think this means something, and I may write a research proposal to find out.
Me, I only wear jeans. I find them really versatile.
Ratty and scuffed, with a T-shirt – that’s either for physical work, or to look like a working stiff. Otherwise new (or nearly new) with a western-style shirt – that’s the professional uniform.
I have a friend who used to live within easy walking distance of 6th Street. It’s been a bunch of years since she moved out to the country, but back then weed was absolutely everywhere. I just assumed the Welcome Wagon folks brought a dime bag when one moved in.
As to proper clothing, I think it is important to know what the locals tend to wear. I still wear my style, which is definitely not local, most of the time when I am out locally or in places I know really well (and everybody there knows me, anyway). OTOH, when I am traveling or in an unfamiliar area, I tend to do the jeans and polo shirt thing. Sometimes a work shirt1 and khakis with the aforementioned clipboard and hardhat2 in the vehicle if needed. If it’s a really downscale area, sweatpants with a T-shirt and mismatched hoodie tend to do the trick. That can be paired with expensive-looking sneakers. Otherwise, it is always boots, but not those that are obviously mil-spec.
Also, lose the “high and tight” or flattop cut unless you are comfortable wearing hats (even indoors). That’s a serious marker if you are over a certain age.
I am physically incapable of wearing a shirt not tucked in properly, but I suppose I should learn how to be more sloppy. All my friends know what it means if I have an “overshirt” that’s not tucked in, but I suppose a random guy on the street would not necessarily know. Also, too many layers when it is hot and humid is probably a signal for those of us that pay attention.
1 Most places that make work shirts will make whatever you tell them in very small quantities. Mine tend to have a company name with which I have some relationship, my first name or nickname, and a department with a broad application (mechanical, electrical, environmental…). If you have access to someone with one of those fancy embroidering sewing machines, that’s even better.
2 If you do have a hardhat, make sure it’s not the shiny, brand-new “new boss” hardhat. I remember being issued a new company-branded hardhat at a location, and the site management type was horrified when I threw it down into the gravel parking lot and kicked it around a bit. I told him that the workers there would never listen to me if they thought I had never worked for a living. I don’t think he got it.
No, no, NO! These days, you draw the conclusion, then get the grant, then do the research. The TV appearances to announce your results can appear anywhere in that process.
re clothes to blend in, pay attention to body language, stride, and so on. They’re at least as important as the clothes.
I’ve mentioned before that I can turn invisible. Not optically invisible, of course; “unnoticeable” is a better word. It’s a skill that must be practiced. If you think that you’ll need this skill, practice now, when the stakes are lower.
Jeans, polo shirts and sneakers for day time, ratty for work, clean without stains for shopping and appointments. Dress pants with button shirts and dress shoes after dark.
Tactical pants with pockets full of stuff bother me when I’m kneeling or laying down.
WRT jeans, I only wear Wranglers. If you want to see how to wear them: youtube, Neal McCoy, video “Wink”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FRlFE4xYzQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=5gP4olaxYOM
Also this for a good view of his Wranglers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLL7mVERwq0
Mexican laundry detergents still have phosphates and actually work.
All a matter of personal taste, I suppose. I’m not a fan of tats at all, but small and tasteful can look ok on a woman. In the case at hand, the ones I dislike are the seemingly random selection on the arms. Why would you have a bandaid? A poorly done celtic cross? Piercings, much the same. Ear piercings are fine. Small nose studs on the side are ok. Nose piercings in the middle make me think of cattle. Lip piercings just look unpleasant.
Also, a minor observation about the quality of modern journalism: Am I the only one bothered by the fact that some of the photos are reversed? Sometimes a tat is on her left, sometimes on her right.
Some of the photos are taken directly of her and some of the photos are taken by her in a mirror which causes the reversal.
Time for another installment of “Stupid Games, Stupid Prizes…”
https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/04/us/youtuber-federal-prison-fake-plane-crash/index.html
How did we survive without TikTok??
For @SteveF and @Jenny…
https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2023/12/05/chickens-freeze-moos-cprog-orig-bdk.cnn
You aren’t going to get high quality code out of someone who spends a lot of time worrying about wardrobe selection.
As for advancement, over 30 years, I’ve seen the situation bite management in the a** repeatedly where raises/promotions were done for reasons other than performance/contributing to the company’s bottom line and key contributors found something else to do with their time.
You don’t get high quality code out of most people, regardless of dress sense… and if you are a mediocre coder who doesn’t want to spend your working life stuck in a tech ghetto, looking promote -able, or cross -trainable, is a path out. Same goes for engineering, or other tech fields.
n
I just had another customer in Israel email us and say that he is mobilized and his projects are all delayed.
If you don’t think that your life can change in a hurry, just watch what is going on in Israel. That is a microcosm of the world at the moment. Remember, there are 22 wars going on at the moment and the USA is involved in 11 of them.
Get a load of this hat. – looks good on you though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phagxOal7_A
I worked in IT for 45 years, and except for DOD contractors, I’ve never seen people promoted for performance/contributing to the company’s bottom line. It’s always been some combination of politics, race, , sex, or ethnic preferences. Healthcare IT is the worst I experienced.
“Hillary Clinton Raises Concern on Climate Change Body Count: ‘We are Beginning to Count and Record Climate-Related Deaths’ (VIDEO)”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/12/hillary-clinton-raises-concern-climate-change-body-count/
“She referenced a European heatwave allegedly responsible for 61,000 deaths and insinuated that unrecorded. She also claimed that climate change-related deaths can be influenced by gender. According to Harvard Business Review, “We can’t fight climate change without fighting for gender equity.”
Oh, give me a break ! That is a total lie !
“Record U.S. oil production is pushing prices down”
https://www.axios.com/2023/12/05/us-oil-production-record
13.2 million barrels of crude oil per day. Amazing.
Total world production is about 101 million barrels per day.
Hat tip to:
https://www.drudgereport.com/
So W2 decided she wants to work on her laptop from her shed but her internet connection there is spotty. Distance from the router is ~50 feet and house construction is concrete block. Looking for the easiest (low cost?) solution to get her a better wireless signal. Haven’t kept up on wireless options since most of our other computers are either wired or in the same room as the router. Mesh, powerline, other?? Thanks.
Powerline is the most reliable. I have been using a triple for eight ? years now.
An old Direct TV dish works amazingly well if you put a wifi antenna at the focus. Better than a Pringles Cantenna, even.
Or 100’ of Cat 5 ethernet cable, probably $20.
Alan, try a repeater inside the house, positioned by a window facing the shed.
re the frozen chickens, Brianna is a retard. I wasn’t too impressed by the CNN person doing the story, either. “She’s so new to keeping chickens that she hasn’t even named them all.” Riiight. I’ll note that good ol’ Brianna isn’t so new to it that she wasn’t able to lose almost half of the flock to hawks. Also, it’s easy enough to tell the chickens apart, even if they’re all the black-and-white speckled breed. There’ll be different markings, which a non-retard can distinguish.
re promotions and raises in IT, capable developers and administrators achieve them by changing jobs. You’d think that, with all of the pissing and moaning the managers do about the cost of hiring, they would act to retain their skilled technical staff, but that is vanishingly rare. No, they promote based on membership on the company softball team (which I saw on my first post-Army job) or on protected characteristics or on being “a good people person”. And then the most capable techs see this and leave, and then the managers complain even more about lack of loyalty and lack of people to hire (for less than market rate).
Amusing, perhaps: Basel wants to pass a rule that gender is completely irrelevant: male, female, trans, plant, alien – it doesn’t matter.
The feminists are up in arms…
If it weren’t for climate change I would not be transgendering from male to female. When completely done, West Hollywood night clubs I’ll be on my way.
Data point on people spending:
Firearm counter at Academy in Katy was so busy the MOD couldn’t do her regular job, because she was so busy finalizing the paperwork on purchases. She was on the phone trying to get coverage for the rest of the store while she was tied down at the firearm counter.
I watched 2 handguns and 2 shotguns go out the door while I stood there.
Not obvious prepping for any of them, though you couldn’t say for sure, of course. One guy was a reserve police officer buying a Glock 17 because his department is shifting from .40 to 9mm and he wants to get his tax deduction this year.
Bury a run of coax and put MOCA adapters at each end.
You get a tax deduction for buying a gub?
I gather he does 1099 contract work, so it’s a tool purchased for business. I didn’t press for more info.
You might want some oversized clothes. They will disguise your relative health and robustness when you go to the .gov food line for your handouts. They can cover a vest, or a second layer of clothing, or some contraband if things get really sporty… they can disguise the gender of your loved ones, who will be particularly vulnerable as rule of law, and social norms collapse.
Rape is the first thing that happens with society starts having problems. Look at the numbers of reported rapes going up rapidly. The number of unreported rapes is 10X that.
For a long time I’ve treated clothes as a uniform, or more accurately as a costume to be worn to match what I was doing. Working in a corporate environment? Tan or black Dockers, logo’d golf shirt. Doing construction work in that environment? Cargo pants, collared shirt over t-shirt. Corporate training or live event outdoors? Tan shorts, logo’d golf shirt… No t shirts. “We do not wear T shirts, because we are not T shirt guys, and don’t want to be paid like T shirt guys.” That was a lesson from one of the first bosses I had doing all sorts of temporary labor in the entertainment field. It’s a variation of “dress for the job you want,not the job you have.” It served me well over the years.
I wear tan Dockers, Justin Roper boots, and Land’s End button down shirts six days a week. The shirts are long sleeve or short sleeve depending on the season. Plus my right wrist compression sleeve.
Mice And Minds: Part 1
Mice in Texas carry Deer Ticks. Deer Ticks carry Lyme disease. Ask me how I know this …
“Cybertruck is different ‘same way the iPhone was different’”
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/cybertruck-different-same-way-iphone-174007599.html
“According to Canaccord Genuity’s survey on Tesla’s (TSLA) newly launched Cybertruck, two-thirds of respondent car buyers would not purchase the long-awaited electric truck.”
There are two million deposits on Cybertrucks. The real base price is $79,950 which is $50 below the max to get a $7,500 federal tax credit on EVs made in the USA.
And my web server is getting attacked today. It is up to 75% load. Somebody does not like me again.
@lynn: I hope you aren’t posting the real load number here and letting the bad guys know how many bots to purchase next time…
I wear tan Dockers, Justin Roper boots, and Land’s End button down shirts six days a week. The shirts are long sleeve or short sleeve depending on the season.
– this and some of you others sharing makes my point… you have a “look” that might not fit everywhere, and might be an identifying characteristic, like my everyday wear. This might not be an issue today, but it can make your life more difficult if you have to change your routines, or if the world changes around you.
n
When I was working as an IT manager or an independent consultant, I wore button down shirts with an IT themed tie and dress pants. My staff wore business casual. The tie came off if I was actively doing hardware maintenance.
I’m an IT manager and I wear jeans and a short sleeve polo shirt in the summer and long sleeve button down in the winter. I also have zero desire to ascend to higher levels of management. Heck, I almost left the current job last month for a purely technical role. If the pay had been better, I would have.
And my web server is getting attacked today. It is up to 75% load. Somebody does not like me again.
@lynn: I hope you aren’t posting the real load number here and letting the bad guys know how many bots to purchase next time…
My host has automatic IP address blocking for attackers. The last time they were buying more bots on the fly. They got over a 100 bots blocked.
Another stop on our grand tour of Wisconsin was the single remaining Lands End store outside Madison. The Men’s section was nonexistent, but my wife found some deals.
Browsing the outlet racks, it was interesting how people still take horrible advantage of the cash refund return policy if they can find the sales receipt. The bottom half of one parka looked like it had been buried in mud and left there for a couple of decades.
Duluth Trading’s outlet/return clearance center south of Madison wasn’t nearly as interesting in terms of prices or the depths of human behavior, but they had props from redsigned stores, including a hand-cranked table saw. Yours for $800 if you could haul it – no delivery.
If you’ve ever returned something to Duluth Trading via a Belleville mailing address, I’ve been there.
Other WI tourist traps we hit which have not been mentioned– Miller Brewing tour and the Harley Davidson museum/archives in Milwaukee.
No Original Wisconsin Ducks. My wife was too busy once the conference started.
$72,450 is still beyond the reach of most US households.
That will still buy you a house in Texas.
n
Single family detached within an hour of a major metro without issues?
I believe most of the Cybertruck reservations were made using Biden Bux with an eye towards arbitrage.
My wife’s nephew gave in to arbitrage to get a Maverick. Dealer employee selling “private” but the paperwork and financing going through the F&I room.
Single family detached within an hour of a major metro without issues?
– no, more rural than that, but more likely to have a bit of land too.
Condo or townhouse in Houston…
Double it and your choices go way up.
n
>> Remember, there are 22 wars going on at the moment and the USA is involved in 11 of them.
@lynn, link to this list?
I spent an hour today watching bad cops being filmed. Why do cops still try the “you can’t film me” lie? They should be immediately fired for that. Unbelievable how stupid cops are. Well, no, most of us here know that.
https://apnews.com/article/arlington-virginia-house-explosion-flare-gun-b73119f6aa7a54d3bae81f868e9d78c8
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned himself to the ground
Smoke in the suburbs
And fire in the sky
Smoke in the suburbs…
@SteveF
I was also thinking that now would be the time to find a good engineering school and propose that it set up an alt-liberal arts college to satisfy the PLT requirements. Staff would be required to have an engineering degree and 15-20 years of industrial experience minimum, and keep up their skills at the dojo and range onsite.
@Nick could teach Urban Camouflage, @Ray could teach Protective Scentoflage, @Lynn could teach Economics of International Software Theft, and you could run staff instruction on grant writing skills.
@Greg could be Dean and teach Cooking American with Rice on the Side.
I’d be Groundskeeper and teach Practical Carnivorous Plants and Calibers of Comparative Religion.
We need an architect to design a building and plaza with interlocking fields of fire and automatic high-pressure water to sluice it clean after each educational event.
Wrinkle-free tech has changed the dress and casual button-front shirt market.
I used to hit Lands End Outlet stores while traveling. The last one was in Illinois more than 20 years ago. Lands End and Sears killed Willis and Geiger. Bad menz. Two of my top ten shirts are WG.
When I shed corporate I got rid of most of the dress shirts and switched to golf shirts. Bobby Jones makes some that are exceptional. I’m still bitter about one that I left draped over the back of a chair in NC. I called but it was long gone–with it went my days of staying at Hilton properies and I let them know why. Did I mention I’m still bitter? Italian fabric.
I never found a pair of Lands End jeans that fit properly. Cabelas had some good ones until they got sold and the new owners started harvesting the name. (Guess which finger I’m waving in your general direction, Bass Pro Shops?)
Wranglers fit me–YMMV. I stocked up and will probably have some in my estate.
I have a couple pair of Kirkland that fit well but are designated chore pants. They seem to wear well. One requirement for any jeans is the belt loop in the middle of the back–it’s a good indication of overall quality.
I wear jeans and khakis mostly, and 511 infrequently. Cargo shorts in summer. I found a great pair of Duluth Trading shorts in the fire hose fabric some years ago, right before they were discontinued. Found another pair on eBay and wore them both out.
I had a Land’s End squall jacket that last about 15 years and got replaced by an Eddie Bauer. I used the squall jacket when I expected to get dirty until it got stolen. The EB got demoted to secondary duty last year. EB didn’t seem to want my business–they couldn’t answer an email inquiry in a timely fashion–so I went back to Lands End for the new one. Judging from their model selection, EB has 75% of sales to persons other than pink.
My favorite leather jacket is from Wilsons. Actually bought one, then watched for year-end sales and bought the same model a size smaller. Zip-out liners in both . Gives me flexibility in dressing for the temp and to go over sport jackets or sweaters and have that extra scoosh of room. No printing.
Accessories can instantly dress you up or down. Nice Stetson over the leather coat and jeans is a different look than a vent cap from the feed store. Local HS or college cap is good camo. I have a number of toy-related caps and t-shirts, but don’t believe in advertising and seldom wear them. Gloves can do the same thing–leather driving gloves have a different vibe than a pair of work gloves with reinforced knuckles. Glasses and sunglasses ditto.
I had occasion to go to a funeral recently. Skipped the suit and went with dress pants and coat. Both Lands End wool–they did some decent quality back in the day. The bright silk ties stayed home–parrot only goes to weddings nowadays. Nice dark blue Italian with a few tiny flecks of other colors–extra long so you can tie it to hit your belt buckle and not have the short end at your breastbone.
That will still buy you a house in Texas.
n
Where ? One acre with a 18 foot popup travel trailer does not count.
>> Remember, there are 22 wars going on at the moment and the USA is involved in 11 of them.
@lynn, link to this list?
I have been trying to remember where I heard that. It was either from Mark Levin’s radio show or ??? It could also been Clay and Buck or Michael Berry as I listen to all infrequently.
I did not read it but here are several websites mentioning wars:
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-currently-at-war
https://wisevoter.com/country-rankings/countries-currently-at-war/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts (lists the Israeli conflict as starting in 1948)
Mark Levin has been going full blast on the Israel conflict so I suspect it was his show.
For CowboyStu and anyone interested..
A page from a 1960’s Physics II exam paper.
https://www.geoffstuff.com/exam_paper_1960s.jpg
No slide rules allowed.. (probably).
Any higher pay level where I currently work involves an annual requirement for Patent filing which factors into review considerations.
No thanks.
Not that I wouldn’t want to put in the effort to put together material to file for a Patent. I even did that recently on a database concept I developed. I just don’t want the mandatory part.
For CowboyStu and anyone interested..
A page from a 1960’s Physics II exam paper.
https://www.geoffstuff.com/exam_paper_1960s.jpg
No slide rules allowed.. (probably).
I am putting another calculation with Avogadro’s Number in my software. Does that count even though it is plain old chemistry ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avogadro_constant
“Israel Victory: IDF Prepares to Flood Terror Tunnels as Hamas Monsters Hold 17 Women and Two Children Hostage”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/12/israel-victory-idf-prepares-flood-terror-tunnels-as/
I had been wondering why the IDF did not flood the tunnels already.
“40 years of Turbo Pascal, the coding dinosaur that revolutionized IDEs”
https://www.theregister.com/2023/12/04/40_years_of_turbo_pascal/
I loved Turbo Pascal. It ran from a floppy drive just fine ! My first PC in 1984 ? had two floppy drives.
Does that count even though it is plain old chemistry ?
Indeed it does, and there’s nothing plain or old about chemistry.
I was actually intrigued as to how long it would have taken to prepare and type the entire examination paper back in the 60’s. Now it’s Professor AI that sets the examination perhaps..
Pie and ice cream and I was unconscious in the chair… time to move to the bed. No idea what tomorrow’s post will be about, but it will probably be short.
Anyone who loved the old outdoor brands, I think Orvis is still at that level of quality but also high cost. I love finding it at the goodwill. Duluth Trading had some strong stuff for a while, but got sneaky with sourcing so YMMV. I scored some Brooks Brothers but they are gone now too. boy those are nice shirts, but I’ve got almost no reason to wear them now.
Vintage Wrangler made in USA work wear and outdoor wear seems very nice when I see it.
Unfortunately, your best bet for fitting in at the swapmeet here next Sunday might be American Eagle printed T shirt with gap jeans, and adidas “trainers” all but the shoes essentially disposable quality. But COSTUME, not COUTURE.
n
Sarah expands on yesterday’s post.
https://accordingtohoyt.com/2023/12/05/keep-your-hair-on/
She has some interesting points, and questions today.
n
This evening I finally set up the 3d printer I bought early last month. About 2 hours of putzing around with assembly and calibration, and it’s now about ¾ of the way through the first test print. I’m surprised how quiet it is, and it’s only about 4 feet away.
The machine is a Creality Ender 3 v2 Neo, good ratings and I got it at a bit of a discount, still over $250, but it’s my late birthday present from me.
I like Sarah Hoyt, but I wish she would edit her blog entries. It’s just a stream of consciousness: she doesn’t know where she’s going as she writes it. I wish she would edit it, cut the length by 90% and make her points. Instead, she rambles…