ArtieShaw

America doesn’t have the capacity to track that in any meaningful way. COVID was proof of this.

I ask my husband this exact question about twice a year. Usually when a cat is staring just past my head. He gets the reference.

My colleagues from Europe are always fascinated by Wal-Mart. They walk the aisles and usually buy an insane printed t-shirt or blanket as a souvenir. They also like to stock up on “American snacks,” so that accomplishes a few things with one trip. Pop tarts, corn chips, maple syrup - just things with a different flavor profile or philosophy of what counts as “food.” And Pork Rinds (aka chicharrones) are fried pig skins. Somehow I can never quite persuade them to get those.

Tex-Mex and BBQ are the two biggest food recommendations for Texas. BBQ may include beef brisket or chicken. If you’re keeping a halal diet, just be aware that these restaurants may incorporate pork into seemingly vegetarian choices, like collard greens or beans.

One tip: you can usually ask a restaurant to make a substitution to a meal and they will be happy to oblige unless it’s integral to the cooking process. For example, you can ask for a bacon cheeseburger with no bacon, but you can’t ask for beans without pork because it’s more like a soup. (Sorry if this seems obvious, but my coworkers from EU are super reluctant or shy to ask for modifications. In the US it’s considered perfectly normal to make this type of request.)

Since Houston is reasonably close to Louisiana, you may be able to find a decent Cajun style restaurant. Very regional and very delicious.

I’ve heard that you can find shark teeth on some of the local beaches, but they also just sell them at Murdoch’s, which is a gift shop in/near Galveston.

Ohio. They’re invasive and only arrived in large quantities here about 6-8 years back. They’re in the Chicago area as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug

it could use a couple of peepholes and an escape hatch. Otherwise, a solid fort.

Spiders, giant spiders, stink bugs, the new type of stink bugs that somehow look grosser than the regular stink bugs, mice… We’re absolutely at that stage right now.

Two humans and four half-way competent cats can’t keep up.

I’ve devised so many stink bug removal devices it’s not even funny. The first was a paper towel tube with a little bag on the other end. Now I’ve got a wide mouth jar with some detergent water in it. A fancy little spoon coaxes them inside. They die quickly.

I agree. OK - he may have been a bit evil, but as always - he was a voice of reason.

This is a really nice idea. Which is refreshing, because my go-to is always something mildly disturbing but not too scary or criminal.

If I were going the wholesome route, I’d add a paper note to the USB or other digital storage, though. If I were to find a LaserDisc from 1990, that would be more or less unreadable without expending some significant effort.

But maybe future folk will have magical devices that can read cassettes, 8-tracks, or whatever.

I’m a big fan of concealing doll heads behind drywall. The local hobby shop used to sell half-heads (just the face and neck, including eyes), so that was my go-to.

It was also a hard to fix drywall job, so it looks a little janky. It’s almost guaranteed that the next owner rips out that section and finds her.

Lol yes.

I, too, like a nice bit of cheese.

Right? I know a lot of people who were subject to absolute educational neglect for their K-18. Some lean in, but others have questions.

ETA - and some days I smack myself on the forehead and realize something I should have known at age 8 but it just clicked now.

I don’t like it.

So I remember hearing in HS US history class that one of the arguments against women’s suffrage 100-odd years ago is that married men would now have 2 votes instead of one. This would disadvantage them against bachelors or widowers, who would of course not be able to dictate their nonexistent wives’ votes. Unmarried men would only have the one vote, which didn’t seem fair.

I guess the idea is not a new worry. It just seems like the fretting has reversed its polarity.

I’m sensitive to noise, and usually book late enough that the only seats available are in back. And fly at least once a month.

Absolutely decent noise cancelling headphones are available for under $70 US last time I bought some. Mine were called Q30 or something, and they were better than my Sennheisers from 2016-ish. Worth every bit. If one can afford a ticket, one can afford this one thing to make it less awful.

About 20 years ago I read a grim book about plane crashes. They claimed that the number 1 predictor of crash survivability on commercial craft was being a male between the ages of 20 and 50. They’re apparently much better equipped to claw and climb over the other passengers on the way out.

Grim. I fly a lot and think about it at least every other trip.

That’s some classic cat & wire deterrent advice. Needs to be repeated for every new member of the pride, but it works.

Exactly as you describe.

That scene in the pilot episode of Lost. That’s why.

Maybe they could chat about their hobby? Sounds like a fine afternoon on the veldt.

I always hear the same thing. He’s the sweetest dog ever. He would never hurt a fly.

And it’s always true until one day it just isn’t. My cousin’s large dogs would always growl and threaten my husband (who is admittedly nervous around dogs). Every fucking holiday it was the same thing after one of the dogs corners him. “He never does this.” Except every year, he does.

One of those dogs finally snapped one day. No humans were physically injured that day, but two people - including a young child had to witness it. We think she doesn’t remember, thankfully.

I fully blame idiot cousin Jimmy and his idiot wife, but crap.