80F and 95%RH this morning.
H/T to CommanderZero for the article link. Someone in his comments points out issues with the study and the authors. Nothing that invalidates my points.
I’m taking a bit of time to fisk this article, ‘cuz preaching to the choir is more fun than whatever I’m supposed to be doing today…
Study Finds Rise In ‘Doomsday Prepping’ Due To Mainstream American ‘Culture Of Fear’
by John Anderer
CANTERBURY, England — “Doomsday prepping” or stockpiling food, medicine, weapons and other supplies in case of an apocalyptic scenario has long been considered peculiar behavior only exhibited by conspiracy theorists and other extremists in the United States.
–really? says who?
However, such prepping has actually been steadily on the rise in the U.S. over the past decade. So, what’s causing this surge in stockpiled rice packets and underground bunkers? One group of researchers say it is an ever growing sense of impending doom in American culture.
–or maybe people are waking up?
Many have speculated that this surge in doomsday preppers over the last 10 years was linked to an extreme political reaction among many conservatives to Barack Obama’s initial election in 2008, but a new study out of the United Kingdom finds that neither the Obama presidency nor extreme right-wing conspiracy theories in general are the main cause of this growing phenomenon.
— hmm, so maybe your per-conceived notions didn’t survive contact with actual fact??
Researchers interviewed preppers from 18 U.S. states and asked about their motivations for stockpiling food and supplies.
–imagine that, actually talking to people and ASKING!
The results indicated that, although most did seem to be conservative and fear liberal policies, the main reason behind their motivations was the overall sense of fear currently dominating U.S. culture across a variety of media channels. Most Americans can’t seem to log online or turn on the television without being hit by a grim view of the future being reported or speculated on.
–so what about the ’70s? Talk about grim futures in media…The Omega Man, Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green, nuclear winter, Silent Spring, Andromeda Strain, Rollerball, Serpico, Taxi Driver. Ok baby duck, might want to look past the day you were born.
Potential occurrences commonly worried about by preppers include possible economic depressions, terrorist attacks, cyber-attacks, pandemics, or environmental disasters.
–and we know that those are UNPOSSIBLE, because they’ve NEVER happened before, and even if the did, humans are so much better now (despite that pervasive grim future mentioned above.)
Furthermore, researchers say that frequent recommendations from the U.S. government on how to prepare for potential disasters, such as when residents of certain communities are advised to stockpile water in preparation for a hurricane or blackout, have also contributed to the rising number of doomsday preppers in the United States.
–yup, because you’d never want to be prepared when a hurricane is bearing down on you, or the power goes out. And notice the conflating of having some WATER with ‘doomsday prepping.’
The study’s authors say their findings paint a more nuanced picture of doomsday preppers and their motivations, especially since up until now most were simply considered crazy or delusional.
–your editorial comment says more about you than them, baby duck.
According to their results, most preppers don’t believe the world will end tomorrow or a giant meteor will hit the earth at any moment, they simply want to be prepared for anything “just in case” something terrible happens.
–but that can’t be right, because papa gov would never let anything bad happen to them….
Researchers note that while extreme right-wing ideologies don’t seem to be the main cause of these fears and preparations, the general idea among many conservatives that if a Democrat regains control of the White House it will inevitably lead to chaos remains very much connected to the phenomenon of doomsday preppers. At the end of the day, though, that is just another possible event for conservative preppers to fear, and not the main cause.
–seems pretty reasonable fear when mobs are marching in the street calling for conservatives to be exterminated…
“Fear is now deeply entrenched in modern American culture and is the principal reason that so many citizens are engaging in ‘prepping’,” explains lead author Dr. Michael Mills in a release.
According to Mills, these preppers believe that if the worse were to happen, the government’s response simply wouldn’t be adequate and many people would be left to fend for themselves.
–or in other words, they’ve looked at what happened in the previous bad things, and saw the truth.
“Rather than seeing prepping as an exception within America’s right-wing political culture, we ought to see it as being reflective of increasingly established and popular outlooks,” Mills comments.
–and finally a bit of rational thought and honesty, notably from the actual study’s author and not the article’s author.
——————————————————————-
The mindset of the article’s author sorta stuns me. That willful blindness to reality, and the arrogant assumption that everyone else shares his/her/zer’s worldview is really quite extraordinary for someone who looks around with open eyes and lives in the REAL world.
I’d be willing to bet money that when SHTF, the author cries, pouts, stamps feet, and DEMANDS that anyone better prepared than s/he/zer be forced to share their preps too.
Sorry snowflake, ain’t gonna happen.
nick
Well, if the site’s not down it must be a busy morning for the rest of you!
I got the yard mowed (again) and cleaned the fridge. I let it get a bit emptier than normal, so it was a good time to clean. Currently 100F in the driveway, so I think I beat most of the heat.
Looking around the street, our new (sketchy) neighbor has moved out. This was the one that had way too many vehicles around, people coming and going, and who would occasionally move a bag from one car trunk to another after dark. I dropped enough hints that my cams could see everything at his house to discourage anything shady, I hope. In fact, his whole story about a car being burglarized may have been a ploy to see what my cams really did cover. If so, he saw plenty to discourage bad behavior.
I believe I mentioned replacing a sprinker head yesterday, but if not, it was a good example of my lifestyle. I noticed that one of my heads, instead of oscillating back and forth, was just spinning in circles. Yesterday I went into my box of sprinkler stuff – all purchased for pennies on the dollar at yard and estate sales – grabbed an appropriate head and changed it out in half an hour. No trips to Home Depot were required. Total cost was $3. I’ve bought the sprinkler stuff because I know that parts will need to be replaced. The mower hits heads, the hose snaps off a fitting, or they just wear out. I’m carrying inventory, and have spent the money on stuff I may never need, but it’s one box in the garage attic, and probably less than $50 total. Yesterday saved me $12 and a trip to HD., and it’s not the first time I used something from the box. Saving the hour round trip on a Sunday was the best payoff.
n
Anyone else notice that gold went from 1275 to 1500 since the end of May? That’s a big jump.
That probably means that people are not all that sanguine about the other markets…
n
Anyone else notice that gold went from 1275 to 1500 since the end of May? That’s a big jump.
The debt ceiling was quietly lifted in the last few weeks before Congress left town under a deal which kicks the can into 2021. The presses are rolling again.
The Swan Eaters: is the covered wagon interior magical ?
https://www.gocomics.com/swan-eaters/2019/08/12
There is more room inside that covered wagon than outside of the wagon. Shades of Dr. Who and Harry Potter.
And Ivan is an idiot.
Some ebola news too… since I’m looking for what they’re NOT talking about….
—FFS, they don’t believe in it, and don’t know how to recognize it???
of this cheery news…..
–it’s FIVE now. He had 10 kids, and various other relatives, some who had to be ‘retrieved’ and brought back to Goma.
n
The debt ceiling was quietly lifted in the last few weeks before Congress left town under a deal which kicks the can into 2021. The presses are rolling again.
The spreadsheet in the PC at the USA Treasury is torturing more electrons. The Federal Reserve spreadsheet will soon be correspondingly tortured also.
However, this does matter. Repeat from Saturday.
“The Coming Debtpocalypse” by Sarah Hoyt
https://accordingtohoyt.com/2019/08/05/the-coming-debtpocalypse/
“Well, pull up a rock and make yourselves comfortable. What if the economy crashes? What if our money is worth nothing? What if? Are things I can answer to. You see, I come from a Mediterranean country (not in geography, but in culture.) Which means I’m used to governments that run their purses like high school kids with an unending spending account and addicted to meth.”
“I’ve seen crashes. I’ve heard of crashes from grandma. NONE OF THEM KILLED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE POPULATION.”
Interesting perspective.
@Greg, this strip is for you !
https://dilbert.com/strip/2019-08-11
_The Boy on the Bridge_ by M. R. Carey
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Bridge-M-R-Carey/dp/0316300349/?tag=ttgnet-20
Book number two of a two book apocalyptic zombie series. Amazon appropriately calls this the “Hungry Plague Series”. I read the well printed and bound trade paperback published by Orbit. I doubt that there will be more books in the series, but one never knows. I have ordered another two books by the author who has quite a few more SF/F books to his name.
Wow, before _The Girl With All The Gifts_, there was a very smart boy who invented the human smell blocker so that the hungries would not react to people and eat them. The boy was so smart that the remaining people in England sent him out in an armored RV with ten scientists and soldiers to investigate the spread of the spore disease that is killing humanity. And the smart boy found a new kind of hungries.
My rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (266 reviews)
BTW, I recently watched _The Girl With All The Gifts_ movie. It followed the first book extremely well, five stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-All-Gifts-Bluray-Blu-ray/dp/B01LTIAQE6/?tag=ttgnet-20
@Greg, this strip is for you !
Our new cubes at the relocated office are actually better than what we had downtown.
My office situation over the last 10 years: I shared an office at the Death Star, and I had a private office overlooking about 2/3 of the field at the Seahawks stadium when I worked in Seattle. CGI was open desk. Current place is traditional cube.
I don’t read “Dilbert” much anymore. Too much of the cr*p from the Millennial’ managers mouths would have been Scott Adams’ strip punchlines 20 years ago. The situation is akin to reading “Atlas Shrugged” living in Portlandia.
When I recently balled out the Millennial MBA pinhead who gave the music major an award for my work in the first quarter, he was panicked as to how to respond to my comment that the situation was “A big pile of sh*t”.
Profanity! Anger! Trigger!
I’m not kidding when I say that the first words out of Moron Boy’s mouth. “I didn’t think you would be mad.”
The Pointy Haired Boss joke circa 1998 kind writes itself except that they now have hipster beards instead of pointy hair.
This is what happens when you give people stuff….
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7266291/Oprah-Winfrey-Jon-Bon-Jovi-secretly-built-entire-communities-Hurricane-Katrina-families.html
Habitat built the Houston houses. Out of town designers and architects designed Pitt’s houses, with lots of high end techniques and “innovative”* materials and techniques. Habitat has been charging $4oo/mo interest free mortgages in Houston. People were unable or unwilling to even do that, despite being hand picked by staff.
n
*innovative = untried and perhaps unwise in the building trades.
Brazil’s president says, eat less, poop every other day….
and of COURSE it’s do as I say not as I do….
“‘When you see how the world’s population is increasing by 70 million a year, you need a family planning policy,’ said the former army officer, declining to use the term ‘birth control’ for fear of an adverse media reaction.
‘Don’t make me say that, otherwise (the daily) Folha de S. Paolo will run a headline saying I favor birth control,’ he said.
‘But you can see that more educated people have fewer children. I’m an exception to that rule, I have five,’ he said.”
n
*innovative = untried and perhaps unwise in the building trades.
Like Disney’s planned community, Celebration.
From @paul yesterday:
Before they “outsourced” the ATM at the local HEB, I did the filling. For a big weekend, like Bluebonnet Festival, I would load 50K or so in $20s and 15K in $10s. To start. It really depended on how much cash I had.
Wow, no wonder ATMs are grab and go robber magnets. I figured $20K at most. Of course even that is very attractive to a robber.
I do all of my check deposits at the Wells Fargo ATM now. I walk right past the tellers and put my checks in the ATM. It is not the tellers, it is me. I just don’t want the interaction or the 90 second wait. And it think it goes both ways.
BC: the best of multiverse monthly
https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2019/08/12
OK, BC is getting even weirder. And I like it.
“I could throttle you right about now: US Navy to ditch touchscreens after kit blamed for collision”
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/08/12/us_navy_ditching_touchscreens/
“Thousands of tons of metal and iPads don’t mix, it would seem”
Are you freaking kidding me ? They put the throttle controls are separate touch displays ? The programmers should get a beating.
Oh wait, design by committee.
I do all of my check deposits at the Wells Fargo ATM now. I walk right past the tellers and put my checks in the ATM. It is not the tellers, it is me. I just don’t want the interaction or the 90 second wait. And it think it goes both ways.
The Bank of America near our house closed their drive up window completely.
I wonder how long before it will be before they close their lobby windows too.
If we’re lucky, the bank will follow.
We have been credit union only since leaving WA State. In Vantucky, we made the mistake of using the same bank as my wife’s employer, and I swear that once the guaranteed minimum salary period ended the clinic had an inside line on our balance every month before they wrote the paycheck. USBank, too, not First Bank of Podunk.
We probably would have been better off with Podunk.
Our local BofA opened more lanes. Most of the customers in line are hispanic. I don’t believe hispanics like the ATMs in general, preferring to see a human with their money.
Our BofA also isn’t properly posted for no guns, so I don’t worry about carrying there.
n
My local Bank Of The West branch has two drive up lanes: The one with the air borne containers going through tubing has been closed for several years while the other with an ATM is still open.
Well, if the site’s not down it must be a busy morning for the rest of you!
My yesterday ended with the daughter crying in my bedroom next to my wife from 1 am to 2 am. The wife was having dizzy spells last night so she could not move the daughter. And my requests to the daughter to move outside my bedroom were ignored. And I have no idea why she was crying this time. I spent the next hour helping her since the wife could not. Yup, that is 3 am. This happens routinely, mostly due to physical pain (migraines).
I maintain that if 10% of the population is sick, the other 90% will spend 100% of their time taking care of them.
According to their results, most preppers don’t believe the world will end tomorrow or a giant meteor will hit the earth at any moment, they simply want to be prepared for anything “just in case” something terrible happens.
–but that can’t be right, because papa gov would never let anything bad happen to them….
“I am from the government and here to help you” is the scariest thing that I have ever heard.
I have had close encounters with the FBI and CIA. I have been asked (and refused to do so) to do bad things to our “enemies”. I have been forced to testify in an FTC antitrust trial. I have been threatened with arrest by a State Department employee (that was unnerving).
I have severe trust issues with our government. Some government employees honestly want to help and have helped. Other government employees are more interested in power over others and actively seek to build that power on the public’s backs. And then there are the incompetent government employees.
I’d be willing to bet money that when SHTF, the author cries, pouts, stamps feet, and DEMANDS that anyone better prepared than s/he/zer be forced to share their preps too.
Sorry snowflake, ain’t gonna happen.
One of my apocalyptic EMP books had the neighborhood HOA people going house to house 30 days after an EMP collecting all of the stored food for “reapportionment”. The homeowner shot and killed the head guy in his driveway. I applauded the author.
I am still trying to figure out how I will respond when they come for my gubs.
By then I’ll be sure to have sold all my gubs, except one ‘give up’ gun. Probably a HiPoint 🙂 Yep. Sold them all. And the cheap uppers I bought. And the 80% lowers, why how did you know about those officer?
Either that or lawn sprinklers filled with bleach and ammonia… and a claymore on either side of the door. Or a
fire extinguishergarden sprayer filled with gasoline… I guess it all depends on how they ask.n
Our BofA also isn’t properly posted for no guns, so I don’t worry about carrying there.
It is amazing how many of those 30.06 and 30.07 signs are not properly created and/or posted. The law is very clear on both the creation of the sign and the posting.
I am very offended by the 30.06 signs in Methodist hospital. Many people have apparently been mugged in the parking garages in the medical center. I would think that would make them liable for any damages to your person by a mugger but, no.
Nope, the colorado movie theatre shooting established that they can ban your ability to defend yourself, but do not then assume the burden of defending you. I think the fix was in because it seems pretty straight forward to me, and there is precedent in prisons and involuntary commitment. Once they take away your choice, they are responsible for your welfare. The difference is that private facilities are USUALLY optional. I’d argue that hospitals and ERs especially are not optional, and get federal funding, both should help with precedent.
n
no one wants to be the test case though.
“A.F. Branco Cartoon – With Friends Like These…”
https://comicallyincorrect.com/a-f-branco-cartoon-with-friends-like-these/
“We once again find the Clinton’s in full-blown denial, this time in regard to any involvement in the Epstein suicide. Political cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2019.”
Rush Limbaugh had a parody statement from Bill Clinton this morning:
https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2019/08/12/conspiracy-theories-try-the-russia-hoax/
“ANNOUNCER: Now a message of comfort and condolence to all those who knew Jeffrey Epstein from former President Bill Clinton…”
“CLINTON: My fellow Americans, let me be the first to say that all Jeffrey was is just a donor and random acquaintance that I accepted a flight or two from — we really didn’t have that much in common — and that Hillary and I had both hoped that all those woman that said they were underage prostitutes but looked at least 18 at the time would get to testify against him in a court of law. Unfortunately, now he will never be able to corroborate their stories. So, yes, a sad chapter has closed. I only hope each of these women can find peace while knowing that they have come forward publicly, and given facts about what their real name is and where they now reside. Hillary and I both wish them well and encourage them to move forward from this awful moment to a new life of silent reflection and safety. Thank you.”
Rush also mentioned that he would not be surprised to see Jeffrey Epstein in a foreign country some day.
By then I’ll be sure to have sold all my gubs, except one ‘give up’ gun. Probably a HiPoint Yep. Sold them all. And the cheap uppers I bought. And the 80% lowers, why how did you know about those officer?
Either that or lawn sprinklers filled with bleach and ammonia… and a claymore on either side of the door. Or a fire extinguisher garden sprayer filled with gasoline… I guess it all depends on how they ask.
There will be a Bradley or a MRAP out in the street. Both have a one inch or a .50 caliber gun that can penetrate from the front of your home to the back of your home. Your loved ones will be held hostage while they toss your belongings.
Our local BofA opened more lanes. Most of the customers in line are hispanic. I don’t believe hispanics like the ATMs in general, preferring to see a human with their money.
The local underclass refers to the Hispanic workforce here as “walking ATMs.”
“U.S. natural gas demand is at a record”
http://gasprocessingnews.com/news/us-natural-gas-demand-is-at-a-record.aspx
“U.S. natural gas demand is at an all-time high and expected to keep rising – and yet, prices are falling.”
“U.S. gas futures this week collapsed to a three-year low, while spot prices were on track to post their weakest summer in over 20 years. In other markets, such lackluster pricing would cause investment to retrench and supply to contract.”
“But gas production is at a record high and expected to keep growing. Demand is rising as power generators shut coal plants and burn more gas for electricity and as rapidly expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals turn more of the fuel into super-cooled liquid for export.”
“Analysts believe the natural gas market is not trading on demand fundamentals because supply growth continues to far outpace rising consumption. Energy firms are pulling record amounts of oil from shale formations and with that oil comes associated gas that needs either to be shipped or burned off.”
The current price for crude oil in Texas (WTI) is $55/barrel. The current price for natural gas is $2.11/mmbtu. The prices were $130 and $14 in 2008, respectively.
The oil patch is hurting which hurts my business. We are living in plentiful times though.
Stocking food? A no brainer. Prices just keep going up. Plus it’s real nice that when you run out of mayo you just wander out to the other building and get a new jar.
I’m jacking with my new phone. Installing stuff I want from Play (sheesh, there is junk I tried on my S2 five years ago) and un-installing or disabling pre-installed junk I don’t want. Some stuff is resisting.
Some pre-loaded stuff is in folders and I’d just as soon have Calculator (for instance) not in the Tools folder. I might figure it out.
Reading reviews of the phone is weird. Yeah, the LG V20 is very a nice phone but…. it only plays video for 12.5 hours nonstop compared to Brand W that plays 13 hours. Brand X has a better camera… just barely. Brand Y is water “proof” for folks into water-sports. Brand Z has more internal storage for folks too dumb to add a memory card. And Brands W, X, Y, and Z all have slightly larger batteries.
Yeah. Whatever. I’m gonna go with the phone that has a replaceable battery and I’m going to do my best to not get it wet. I’ve tossed too many cordless screwdrivers and such in the trash because the battery failed. The B and O audio rating doesn’t hurt a bit.
I never could afford Bang and Olafsen when I was a punk in the market, but, very nice stuff to drool at.
Setting up the account for Verizon’s “My Verizon” was a PITA and then some.
Didn’t like my password. I tried a different password and it worked. I hope I remember it 6 months from now. Oh, yeah, a Post It note stuck to the battery!!!
Bank of America is a PITA. You expect that from a bank. But hey, can I see the effing password as I fat finger it in on a tiny touch screen? Oh, no, peon. Bastards.
Frost Bank? User name. Password. Just like using their website. Then, “When did you graduate High School?” Cool! Enter a four number pin. And DONE.
Anyway. I installed Squeeze Player and Squeezer. Other than having to remember to turn on wi-fi, dang, it snaps. Connected to the Squeeze Server on moa in a couple of seconds.
Sounds good via the speaker phone speaker. A bit tinny, but. I have earphones somewhere….
Yeah. I’m really liking this V20. Actually, my only gripe is that my old LG has the power and volume controls in the middle of the back… which made sense. It worked with either hand. New phone has a power button / finger print reader in the middle of the back and the volume controls are almost flush buttons on the left side. I’ll get use to it. Maybe.
Poking around of Verizon’s site today, to get my account set up and get auto pay set up ($5 a month discount there), I see one can buy a Samsung Galaxy S10 for a mere $1500. Yeah, no.
Well, time to find some sweat pants and a sweater…. it’s down to 102F from 104F. Yay, a cold front!
I figured $20K at most.
Well, yeah, by Company Policy.
But if you go by policy, the machine is empty by Noon on Saturday. Anyway. It’s in the store right next to the Business Center.
Poking around of Verizon’s site today, to get my account set up and get auto pay set up ($5 a month discount there), I see one can buy a Samsung Galaxy S10 for a mere $1500. Yeah, no.
I’m gonna keep my Galaxy S5 a few months longer …
Well, time to find some sweat pants and a sweater…. it’s down to 102F from 104F. Yay, a cold front!
I saw 103 F on my truck at 3 pm here in the sticks of Sugar Land.
I figured $20K at most.
Well, yeah, by Company Policy.
But if you go by policy, the machine is empty by Noon on Saturday. Anyway. It’s in the store right next to the Business Center.
My HEB (in Riverpark in Sugar Land) has a Wells Fargo with a really fancy ATM. It shows movie commercials to me while it is looking at my checks or counting my cash for distribution. They are still stupid commercials.
Well, time to find some sweat pants and a sweater…. it’s down to 102F from 104F. Yay, a cold front!
I saw 103 F on my truck at 3 pm here in the sticks of Sugar Land.
Six months from now, we will be wondering when Spring arrives.
6 Ways Men Can Become Emasculation-Proof.
Elizabeth Warren tweets that Michael Brown was ‘murdered’ in Ferguson
Old lies never die–they don’t even fade away. 🙁
6 Ways Men Can Become Emasculation-Proof.
1. Don’t move to Portlandia.
2. See rule 1.
3. Look at rule 1 again.
4. Did you skim past the above rules?
5. Seriously, don’t move there.
6. If you fail all of the above, refuse to write the checks beyond what’s in the joint account. Losing half in court will be cheaper long term.
Well, time to find some sweat pants and a sweater…. it’s down to 102F from 104F. Yay, a cold front!
I saw 103 F on my truck at 3 pm here in the sticks of Sugar Land.
Six months from now, we will be wondering when Spring arrives.
Speak for yourself. Feb 12 in the Houston area is a potential first date for running the air conditioner.
Circling the drain. Uber crashing might be the black swan event that brings it all down.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uber-imposes-engineer-hiring-freeze-as-losses-mount-exclusive-202234064.html
In emails sent to job interviewees, Uber recruiters explained “there have been some changes” and the opportunity has been “put on hold for now,” according to emails reviewed by Yahoo Finance.
1. Don’t move to Portlandia.
How do you know if you are in Portlandia ?
Jeffrey Epstein’s Week in Pictures: Special Edition
More geopolitical changes—
Macri Massacre Cuts Stocks In Half Today As Argentina Slides Into The Abyss
Profile picture for user Tyler Durden
by Tyler Durden
Mon, 08/12/2019 – 17:29
–their market lost HALF its value in one day. Half, and the peron sister isn’t even actually elected yet.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-08-12/pakistan-mobilizing-military-forces-kashmir-base-near-india-report
–pakis are gonna get their asses handed to them, unless it goes nuclear. Everyone got their iodine tablets? Between the russian thing and a nuke war in India, you might want some. ‘Cuz that unlikely event just got more likely…
n
n
Update 2: In a stunning move, Argentina’s MERVAL stock index was cut in half today, crashing 48% in USD terms on the day.
Circling the drain. Uber crashing might be the black swan event that brings it all down.
This will be of interest to the cabbies in New Orleans, many of whom I am told by the drivers out here in the western suburbs are flocking to the local cab company because their lunch is being eaten by Uber (and Lyft) in the city proper.
Me, I always use the local cab companies; with them, I can be sure of not being shot, robbed, or offered illegal substances or services by the drivers.
[snip] Wow, no wonder ATMs are grab and go robber magnets. I figured $20K at most. [snip]
When my sister owned a diner, $20,000 (all $20s) was the standard load out. The machine would phone home when it got to $1,000, and the service guy would double the bank before holiday weekends. He was visibly armed every time I ever saw him. The company was owned by an ex deputy, who got his funding from the county thanks to a settlement from being fired for having had the temerity to tell the truth to a grand jury. Each transaction had a $3 fee; I was always stunned at how many people would just take $20 rather than $100 to reduce the bite. My sister got $1 of that $3.
How do you know if you are in Portlandia ?
The restaurant (type doesn’t matter) serves avocado toast and will provide you with the provenance of the chicken upon request.
And the waiters will know what the word “provenance” means.
Even if you aren’t geographically in Portland, you can still live in Portlandia. The *Irish pub* in Chicago had avocado toast on the menu and made sure to point out that the chicken was “raised humanely”.
Shoulda got a picture.
This will be of interest to the cabbies in New Orleans, many of whom I am told by the drivers out here in the western suburbs are flocking to the local cab company because their lunch is being eaten by Uber (and Lyft) in the city proper.
The problem with Uber and Lyft is that they are terrible ways to make a living. The companies are subsidized either by the “day job” employers of the drivers or, more common, the parents of the “git economy” class employees.
My sister-in-law who drives for Uber falls into the latter category. My wife’s mother’s Disney pension check paid for the last round of tires on the car, and I’m sure the insurance is fudged.
Yes, my sister-in-law also has a day job, but it is work-from-home medical billing which the mother also subsidizes because the doctors get away with paying half the standard rate when it gets done as a “gig”.
This won’t end well when it all comes down.
Fredo. Awesome. It has nothing to do with being Italian and everything to do with being the dumba** younger brother looking for his own piece of the action, but no one under 40 has ever seen “The Godfather”.
He’s going to get it everywhere now.
https://www.mediaite.com/online/cnns-chris-cuomo-filmed-threatening-heckler-who-called-him-fredo-ill-fcking-ruin-your-sht/
I’ve head Boortz refer to the Cocktail Waitress as “Shot Girl”. Don’t tell me she didn’t even have the brain cells to tend bar with mixed drinks as her bio frequently indicates.
Not that it really matters, but the Epstein thing has Sugar Daddies on the defensive. I don’t think it is a coincidence that Chakrabati was shown the door.
cab driver has always been a terrible way to make a living, that required really long hours and hustle, even when it was regulated. Those guys weren’t p!ssing in cups and pouring it out in the curb because they had an easy life….
n