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Samson's Wig

Certifiably Surly
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Everything posted by Samson's Wig

  1. I got fat. Technically obese but not morbidly so. Lost weight with lifestyle changes. Kept it off. It sucked, but it worked. I was also relatively young and had the underlying physical health to make it happen. I also quit smoking after 20+ years. That was more difficult psychologically than losing weight was, but overall it was easier because it ultimately involved just putting down the cigarettes. Losing weight is a much more nuanced path than quitting booze or tobacco, and I find it hilarious how many from those camps try to apply the linear thinking of tackling those addictions to something that just doesn't work that way. I don't think my experience necessarily applies to others, especially those who let themselves go too far before doing something about it. Age, obesity level, etc. all play a role in whether lifestyle changes alone will work or not. Just like quitting smoking or alcohol after too long a time, losing weight at a certain point will not correct the permanent damage you've already done. A handful of Bob Newharts on this thread. Not surprised to learn one of them is a cyclist.
  2. EDIT TO ADD: I just saw the numbers up-thread re: Denver. Anecdotally, that really surprised me, but parsing out the suburbs and claiming they don't count is just silly. A city is made up of its metro area, even if we draw lines for taxes and services. While some people certainly stick close to their neighborhoods, most get out and about for work, recreation, etc.
  3. In winter, the Canadians descend upon Laredo, bringing their poutine and beaver tails.
  4. We moved away from Austin for a stretch, living in Chicago, Albuquerque (barf), and Los Angeles for several years. I remember returning to visit at one point and feeling uncomfortable without understanding why. It finally dawned on me that I hadn't seen a non-white person in days. We eventually moved back, but that was one of the big sticking points for us when making the decision. It's improved a tiny bit in recent years, but it's still shockingly white. I have no data, but I would not be surprised if it's the whitest city with a population of over half a million in the U.S, and by a significant margin.
  5. No doubt. It's the veggies at fast food places that give you food poisoning, not the meat. I won't touch produce being handled by people not paid enough to give a shit about washing it properly. At least the meat is being cooked to death.
  6. Completely agree. I think most of the "pointless degrees" crap comes from, laughably, people with business degrees. Those who took the path of absolute least resistance and graduated with the narrowest of educational experiences will naturally be the ones to cast stones. "But my degree landed me my first job!" Congrats, I guess. I think the rest of it comes from engineers, but they're special and deserve a pass. Their delusions regarding their worth are what makes them good at their jobs. As noted above, the most valuable thing one develops in a university is critical thinking skills. You can do that in any degree field (even *cough* business) if you apply yourself properly and don't simply coast. Too many see a college degree as a direct path to a job. That mindset is what is wrong with higher education, in my opinion. Some degrees will undoubtedly help you land that first gig, but then you're on your own. But if that's all you've got, someone with a "lesser" degree will end up getting promoted before you do.
  7. It's sad how much political bias plays a role in almost everyone's stance on this issue. We've seemingly become incapable of reasoned thought in this country, but rather apply logical statements to predetermined conclusions. I'm freely and knowingly casting stones from my glass house here, as I'm no better than anyone else on this front. I'm mostly just amazed that I somehow knew what a pangolin was before the pandemic, but I am only now hearing about the existence of raccoon dogs. Whether it was one of these creatures or a lab leak we'll likely never know, so there is only one way to logically handle this. All lab employees everywhere, along with all raccoon dogs and all pangolins, need to be rounded up into internment camps and put down. It's the only way to prevent another outbreak.
  8. There's a big difference between acknowledging that higher eduction is a broken system that needs reform and thinking that a generation of college dropouts is a good thing.
  9. I don't think this will break the "system." Higher-paying jobs are still going to require higher education for the most part. Decent paying blue-collar work, like plumbing/HVAC/etc., has always provided a path for folks, and nothing has changed there. As the article points out, these are kids who were academically inclined, and less likely to pursue blue-collar work, are simply forcing themselves into a position that they're more likely to have to do that kind of work whether they like it or not. This will simply add to the number of low-earning people who don't contribute much to the economy. We're already awash in them. While the pandemic undoubtedly increased the number of college dropouts, it was always a large number, and I don't see this significantly moving the needle in the long run. Union apprenticeships would be great if the future showed any signs of providing work for people in those roles. It doesn't, and I don't know anyone who thinks manufacturing and heavy industry will be returning to our shores anytime soon.
  10. Solid points. The only way this falls apart is if there is enough of a lag between AI taking over and its inevitable failure. I've never known a lawyer to quit the profession and return later. The realization of just how shitty a job it is sets in quickly upon leaving, and after that there is no turning back. It must be like taking your first breath of fresh air after having lived in a coal mine for thirty years. You're not going back if you can help it.
  11. Holy shit, the pattern has been established for decades!
  12. I don't know why the so-called experts are missing the obvious part of this story. Silicon Valley Bank | Signature Bank | Silvergate Bank Do you see it? If you have money in the following banks, watch your cornhole (not a complete list): Sidney State Bank Silex Banking Company Silver Lake Bank Simmesport State Bank Simmons Bank Simply Bank Siouxland Bank
  13. I might be concerned if the bar exam had anything to do with the successful practice of law.
  14. Agreed. Again, the point was that it has more going on than Bryan/College Station, and that it's just as close to Lubbock as Navasota is to BCS. I never claimed that Lubbock is great. I certainly don't live there and have no desire to. Austin is the smallest of the cities I've lived in over the last thirty years, so you'll get no argument from me regarding big city life. I'm not sure why the pedants are out in force without bothering to read the context. I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round.
  15. Completely agree. The discussion was about living in a small town close enough to civilization to get the necessary things.
  16. Well, that depends . . .
  17. Need a way to aerosolize it and pump it into the buildings and planes.
  18. When compared to Bryan/College Station? Yeah, without a doubt.
  19. About the same distance from Brownfield to Lubbock as Navasota to Bryan/College Station. In terms of living near civilization, Brownfield gets the nod, barely. The distance to Houston might push Navasota over the top, I suppose.
  20. Would you recommend the Winchester area for a family with middle school kids? My wife works for a company out of Framingham but has to fly up to Boston so often now that we're considering making a move. I only know downtown Boston (a bit) and don't even know where to start regarding areas to look.
  21. I've been lucky thus far to avoid anything close to the type of shit posted in this thread while flying, but reading and watching this makes me question whether I should ever take my kids anywhere that involves an airport. People fucking suck, and it would sure be nice if there were a way to sort out the trash and keep them at home where they belong. I can't believe someone like the asshole tampering with the airplane door made it back to the ground alive without someone just taking him out on principle.
  22. I believe the proper nomenclature is spelunkulas.
  23. If anything, this is a sign that being poor now is not as devastating as it used to be.
  24. It's a sad state of affairs when crumbling AISD keeps anyone in place. I'm right there with you and wish all the time there was an option well outside of town for a couple of intelligent kids to receive a decent education in a culturally stimulating environment. The suburban schools rank high on paper but come with the mouth-breathing, book-burning, low-info moron contingent. Frats and sororities have to raise new recruits somewhere, I guess. There is probably a gem of a rural school hiding out there somewhere, but I've yet to hear of it.
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