Octopus Overlords

Both of my credit ratings have jumped back into the good. One that never was. 719 and 729 now.

Daehawk wrote: Fri Oct 13, 2023 12:35 pm I got an Amazon holiday catalog in the mail today. Just after everyone else stops their paper catalogs a online place like Amazon prints one.

Does Amazon's holiday catalog have underwear models? That was the whole point of holiday catalogs for me. Oh wait, the models would all be Melissa McCarthy or Kelli Clarkson in this new normal.

Worst eclipse ever, can't even see the sun. Zero stars.

Jaymon wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 12:21 pm Worst eclipse ever, can't even see the sun. Zero stars.

Perfect view here. well no perfect, we won't have the full ring of fire, but I'll take a clear view of the semi-circle of fire.

I got out the solar filter for my 8" Dobsonian telescope, and a group of us were able to check out 70% totality from the back yard. Not nearly the same experience as 2017's full solar eclipse, but still pretty neat.

I dont know where our glasses are from the 2017 event.

30 virtual dice rolls on a d6 without a 1. Blech. The virtual dice gods are not with me today.

LordMortis wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 1:54 pm 30 virtual dice rolls on a d6 without a 1. Blech. The virtual dice gods are not with me today.

I thought 1's were bad.

Depends. If you are rolling for the baddies, then you might want a few misses.

Got my freezer ad posted up for sale. See what ya think of it.
That things a BEAST.

Jaymann wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 2:03 pm

LordMortis wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 1:54 pm 30 virtual dice rolls on a d6 without a 1. Blech. The virtual dice gods are not with me today.

I thought 1's were bad.

In Space Base after moving the "you win if you hit this three times" card from 12 to 1 (on two dice making it possible to advance twice on snake eyes), three of them in those 30 rolls would have been an insta win. To make things worse, If I had rolled 4s, the next turn I could have have set a die to any face I wanted... I also could not roll 4s. That wasn't for 30 rolls through. Probably only 16 or so. Low or high is good depending on you build, based on cards you purchase. You tend to end up concentrating on low, middle, or high, or very low and very high concurrently.

Daehawk wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 4:24 pm Got my freezer ad posted up for sale. See what ya think of it.

Spoiler:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 4374871027

That things a BEAST.

How did you come up with the price? Is there a tag that tells you how many cubic feet it is? There are quite a few brand new fridges available for less than $500 in the 10-12 cubic ft range.

Edit: nevermind, I see it is 20 cubic ft. Looks like you can buy new ones for $450-700

stessier wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 5:08 pm Edit: nevermind, I see it is 20 cubic ft. Looks like you can buy new ones for $450-700

Nah, that's for a refrigerator. Freezers start at about $825.

Daehawk wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 4:24 pm Got my freezer ad posted up for sale. See what ya think of it.

Spoiler:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 4374871027

That things a BEAST.

Little dirty as its sat in the same spot on the back porch a long time doing its thing.

It works. Was working when I moved here. Was the home owners before me.

I'd tone this down.

"Minor external wear and tear. Works fine."

Using the word 'dirty' can turn people away, as can going into (unnecessary) detail about how many years it was sitting on the porch in the elements, or that it's been through multiple owners, especially after mentioning rust (which is fair disclosure.) I also wouldn't call anything with rust 'like new.'

Will need 2 strong men to move it.

That's another thing that could turn off some prospective buyers. "You'll need help to get it loaded, as I have a bad back and am unable to assist."

Good ideas. I edited them into the listing.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:57 pm

hepcat wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:50 pm Although I do know how to make a Siberian log fire now that can last for up to 6 or more hours with very little tending.

Did you learn how to make a self-feeding camp fire yet?

Also: When I was in Scouts and was given the green-light to play with fire, it was like having the Superbowl every day for me. I spent an entire week at summer camp learning how to make every type of fire you can imagine, practicing them for hours a day. It's a very useful skill.

So yeah, I totally get it.

Received said fire starting kit Friday. Just got it though as I had it sent to the office. Unfortunately, despite my frequent proclamations that "it feels a bit cold in here", no one at the office is responding positively to my suggestions that I should build a fire in the back conference room.

hepcat wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 10:22 am

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:57 pm

hepcat wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:50 pm Although I do know how to make a Siberian log fire now that can last for up to 6 or more hours with very little tending.

Did you learn how to make a self-feeding camp fire yet?

Also: When I was in Scouts and was given the green-light to play with fire, it was like having the Superbowl every day for me. I spent an entire week at summer camp learning how to make every type of fire you can imagine, practicing them for hours a day. It's a very useful skill.

So yeah, I totally get it.

Received said fire starting kit Friday. Just got it though as I had it sent to the office. Unfortunately, despite my frequent proclamations that "it feels a bit cold in here", no one at the office is responding positively to my suggestions that I should build a fire in the back conference room.

They are probably just concerned about getting roped into helping get it started. No one likes the drudge work. Go ahead and make one - I guarantee your officemates will be so excited that they'll start telling everyone they can find about it.

Received said fire starting kit Friday. Just got it though as I had it sent to the office. Unfortunately, despite my frequent proclamations that "it feels a bit cold in here", no one at the office is responding positively to my suggestions that I should build a fire in the back conference room.

You might think I'm crazy, but you should look into the possibility of taking survival-type classes in your area. I'm not talking about someone that is going to magically teach you how to survive an end of the world situation, but a legit organization that is just promoting outdoor experience or spending time in nature. For example, I have a nature conservancy organization in my corner of NJ that offers weekend short-courses. Basic survival skills, plant and animal identification (tracking) and I think shelter building. Really basic introductory stuff, but maybe it will help quiet the voices that are telling you to free the fire trapped inside everything you see.

Would that involve me having to get up and leave my place? Can they bring the forest to me?

VR!

which would lead to me running around my place with my flint fire starter in my hands and the headset on my face, furiously showering everywhere with sparks as I try to light a fire in the VR world....

You should at least practice - start a few fires in your grill or somewhere safe. Just to the point that you can get a flame - no need for splitting logs. It's trickier than it looks like, depending on the type of fire starter, and you don't want to be learning it if you find you really need it. Some are easier than others - I'm guessing it was something with a steel, a sparking bar, maybe some magnesium and some punk.

The punk's name is Derek.

Yeah, it really is.

Here's a free tip - make sure you tuck your loincloth back a bit before squatting over the wood shavings with your flint. Nothing more embarrassing than starting your highly flammable loincloth on fire.

See? Even Smoove agrees that his name is Derek.

Wow I jut got a phone solicitation for breast cancer. I thought those were a thing of the past. Are they even legal now?

Daehawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 12:39 pm Wow I jut got a phone solicitation for breast cancer. I thought those were a thing of the past. Are they even legal now?

Lee-guhl?

What is this 'lee-guhl' you speak of?

It certainly isn't a thing that overseas marketers are all that concerned about.

I need to rebuild my two first-aid kits. The contents are out of date, some expired.

Does anyone have a good site offering suggestions for the contents of a reasonable first-aid kit? I've been looking, and everything I'm finding is either pushing affiliate links to pre-made kits, or is an over-the-top survivalist guide that would have you set up a $2000 trauma kit complete with a collapsible surgical bay.

I have had plenty of training in the use of such things (somewhere between 'standard first-aid' and first responder training), and a moderate amount of experience in using same (although all of my certifications are long-since expired.)

Wait...you put more into a first aid kit than just a bottle of bourbon???

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:10 pm I need to rebuild my two first-aid kits. The contents are out of date, some expired.

I have something similar to this in my cabinet. The only thing it's missing is some type of eye rinse. If you're using it just for people in your own house, I think it's fine. If you were carrying around in anticipation of being able to help random strangers, I'd probably add more stuff (mainly PPE), but for me I like mine because it has everything "locked away" inside so if there are any issues, you're not scrambling through a drawer looking for various things that people in your house might otherwise grab for random scratches or whatever; it should all be ready and available.

Look at hiking or backpacking blogs, they are not in the business of selling you first aid supplies so they will list things that are actually useful. Something like this or this (more comprehensive). Just skip the items that wouldn't be applicable outside of a wilderness scenario (like you probably wouldn't need a hypothermia blanket, or an irrigation syringe if you are in a house with running water, or clotting agent since for that kind of severe bleed you would be calling an ambulance).

Daehawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 12:39 pm Wow I jut got a phone solicitation for breast cancer. I thought those were a thing of the past. Are they even legal now?

I've got plenty of breast cancer, no need to buy any more.

Don't forget that Doritos make good tinder for starting a fire. You can also eat them.

gilraen wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:38 pm Look at hiking or backpacking blogs, they are not in the business of selling you first aid supplies so they will list things that are actually useful. Something like this or this (more comprehensive). Just skip the items that wouldn't be applicable outside of a wilderness scenario (like you probably wouldn't need a hypothermia blanket, or an irrigation syringe if you are in a house with running water, or clotting agent since for that kind of severe bleed you would be calling an ambulance).

Thanks.

I very much prefer to take an empty container and fill it myself. I have yet, for instance, to see a retail first aid kit that had enough gloves (or gloves of decent quality) or CPR shields. And like you said, a lot of the stuff is useless in one context, but vital in another (I need to update two - the one for my house, and the one for the car, where the hypothermia blanket would be a must.) The problem is that my experience was all in an environment where I had multiple fully stocked EMT bags on hand for when something happened. It's hard, off of the top of my head, to anticipate everything I might need.

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:10 pm I need to rebuild my two first-aid kits. The contents are out of date, some expired.

Does anyone have a good site offering suggestions for the contents of a reasonable first-aid kit? I've been looking, and everything I'm finding is either pushing affiliate links to pre-made kits, or is an over-the-top survivalist guide that would have you set up a $2000 trauma kit complete with a collapsible surgical bay.

I have had plenty of training in the use of such things (somewhere between 'standard first-aid' and first responder training), and a moderate amount of experience in using same (although all of my certifications are long-since expired.)

Here's a guide I found useful on building DIY first aid kits -- which is almost invariably the superior option, and all the more so if/when you don't have money to burn -- that was written by a paramedic:

The Complete Guide to Making a DIY First Aid Kit

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:16 pm I very much prefer to take an empty container and fill it myself.

Who's saying you have to use a retail kit?

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:16 pm It's hard, off of the top of my head, to anticipate everything I might need.

So don't anticipate everything. Add stuff later if you think of it, or you read an article that suggests it, or it goes on sale. Because the way you phrase it, your alternative appears to be sit and stare at it because you can't get it 100% perfect immediately.

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:16 pm It's hard, off of the top of my head, to anticipate everything I might need.

FWIW, the guide I linked to above provides some useful methods for evaluating what you should be preparing for when building your first aid kits. But gilraen's correct, perfect is the enemy of good enough, and you can always add to and improve your first aid kits as your needs and funds allow.

gilraen wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 9:17 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:16 pm I very much prefer to take an empty container and fill it myself.

Who's saying you have to use a retail kit?

A retail kit was suggested. I was clarifying that I wasn't looking for a retail kit.

gilraen wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 9:17 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:16 pm I very much prefer to take an empty container and fill it myself.

Who's saying you have to use a retail kit?

Blackhawk wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:16 pm It's hard, off of the top of my head, to anticipate everything I might need.

So don't anticipate everything. Add stuff later if you think of it, or you read an article that suggests it, or it goes on sale. Because the way you phrase it, your alternative appears to be sit and stare at it because you can't get it 100% perfect immediately.

Thanks, but it is in my nature to plan ahead and prepare. Not to be 100% perfect, but to take the time to figure out what might be needed and make sure it's available rather than buying on impulse and figuring it out after the fact. I was looking for some tips and/or guides that weren't marketing schemes. I got exactly that - enough guidance to properly plan - thanks to the last few replies. I'm not sure where you got that I was going to sit and stare at it if I couldn't be perfect.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 11:52 am Yeah, it really is.

Here's a free tip - make sure you tuck your loincloth back a bit before squatting over the wood shavings with your flint. Nothing more embarrassing than starting your highly flammable loincloth on fire.

My loin cloth is always moist because I'm aware of the dangers of open flame near the boys.

Sincerely,

Derek

I have owned two breechclouts (or breech cloths, if you prefer), which is what most people mean when they say loincloth.

One was leather, the other was wool (as was correct for the period.) Neither is a flammable material. This is intentional.

Now, if you want to try bursting into flames, try wearing some 15th century fashion with pendant sleeves.