Car of the day - military Chevy K-5 Blazer

Looks fairly simple and easy to work on, diesel engine can be converted to run on biodiesel, seats four but can remove back seats to haul stuff, rear cap section can be lifted off, 4 wheel drive

How Self Reliant are you?

I think I'm about average on the level of self reliance but would like to improve on this. I've made a list of skills I think I would need to depend less on others. This would not only enable me to depend less on the infrastructure but also save a little money.

1) Car repair and maintenance - also small engine repair and maintenance. Save money on taking car in for service. I think it is important to choose the car wisely as well. The simpler, the better. I'd rather not own a whole lot of specialized tools and for complex repairs it's better to take it in. Probably will go back to doing my own oil changes.

2) Grow own vegetables

3) Shoot a gun for defense and hunting.

4) First aid

5) Plumbing and electrical wiring - at least be able to make own repairs on house.

6) Carpentry / construction work.

7) catch fish

8) Firestarting

9) Butchering animals, cleaning fish

10) Obtaining water and purifying it

11) Navigation without GPS

12) Sewing

13) Cooking

Any others you can think of?

quote of the Day

"Anything that walks, swims, crawls, or flies with its back to heaven is edible"

-Cantonese adage

Car thought of the day - Chevy HHR SS panel

I'm thinking this would be a good alternative to a Mazdaspeed 3, a car I often think about getting. The Chevy has a turbocharged inline four cylinder, manual five speed transmission, a no lift shift feature, and a drag race start feature. It also gets 29 mpg on the highway. Also the panel version looks really cool, except has been discontinued for 2010. No matter, I would buy it used anyway. I'll keep an eye out for one on Autotrader and Carmax, then decide not to buy one because I already have two cars...

Vibram Five Fingers - Day 23

I'm enjoying the barefoot feeling of walking around in VFF's, including while doing yardwork. However, the quality seems questionable. Maybe Classics just don't hold up as well as other models? After 23 days I have another defect - the seam in the big toe came unraveled. My girlfriend told me to send them back to Vibram for warranty (I think she is just tired of looking at them), but I decided to avoid down time without them and repair them myself. Some upholstery thread, a needle and five minutes later, a stitched toe and back in service.

car of the day

I'm thinking used first generation Scion xB manual transmission in white with black wheels. The xB is a lightweight front driver with large cargo space and seats 4-5. It only has around 109 hp. Does anyone know of a car lighter (under 3k lbs) and cheaper with this much storage capacity? Honda Element has the storage, optional AWD, and more hp, but is heavier and worse on gas. I could always do an engine swap on either one later down the road. Engine swaps probably easier on the Honda.

Spy Shots: Noblesse takes tuned Honda CR-Z to Suzuka for testing [w/video] — Autoblog

Spy Shots: Noblesse takes tuned Honda CR-Z to Suzuka for testing [w/video] — Autoblog

Wow, the hybrid Honda CR-Z looks badass in all black. Still not enough to make me want to buy a hybrid. It would have to outperform a Miata in speed, handling, and price.

quote of the day

"Champagne for my friends.
Real pain for my sham friends." - Francis Bacon

"Shamwow for my real sloppy friends." - theevildrsin

goggle search

I've worn contacts day in and day out for the past 20+ years but a few months ago I decided to get glasses (as shown on my avatar) and wear them daily. I had several reasons for this. Number one, I was not happy about the disposability of contacts and having to buy new ones all the time. I also figured if I kept my glasses for at least 3+ years I would actually save money. I could even use the same frame for a new prescription if needed. I also figured my eyeballs needed a break.

I also figured if something weird happened in the world and there were no more contacts I would be in big trouble. So I got some nice plastic tortoise shell frames with uv sensitive lenses that will darken. Only problem is it wont darken inside a car due to the windshield blocking UV rays.

Then I thought if for some reason there are no more opticians and I broke my glasses I would be screwed again. There is a twilight zone episode where a man with coke bottle / hubcap glasses is the sole survivor of an apocalypse. He rejoices that he has all the time in the world to read books, until he breaks his glasses. Now he's virtually blind. So what are the most durable glasses? Several thoughts.

1) sports goggles with a strap like my brother has to play basketball. Of course it may look strange to wear them in everyday situations. I do like the idea of wearing some kind of goggle

like acetylene welders or bikers, but I'm not sure if I can afford more strange looks.

2) titanium glasses, either with or without hinges. I like the idea of no hinges to fail but usually to eliminate hinges the arms are screwed into holes in the glass.

3) military issue glasses aka BCG or Birth Control Glasses. They got their name because they are so ugly it is impossible for you to impregnate anyone. Apparently in addition to ugly they are cheap and uncomfortable.

4) any metal glasses with the thickest arms and hinges and frame possible. less failures.

5) AND...see photo above. My Julbo mountaineering sunglasses. It looks like they are made of brass. I like how the lenses are round (easier to grind a round lens) and if you look carefully there are screws on the top of the frame to release or install the lens. This seems a lot better than having the screw near the temple. The hinges are very basic but seem strong. And the glasses have those rubber pieces that curl around your ear so they fit snugly. So the question is if I can get a prescription to fit this frame. Oh, and it would still look a little weird to wear everyday, but not as bad as goggles. Not pictured, the mountaineering nosepiece and the side shields to protect from snow glare.

What do you think?

Does "Made In USA" Matter to You?

This is either a pro- made in USA post, or anti made in China post, or some combination.

I have noticed one of my favorite outdoor clothing companies, Patagonia (www.patagonia.com) has fewer items made in USA and more made in China and other locations. This concerns me since this has been my favorite clothing manufacturer for about 20 years. When I look at the items they still make in the US like organic logo t-shirts and merino wool underwear, I'm guessing it is not made in China yet because the quality or cost savings has not been reached to allow this to be made overseas. I'm interested to see if this changes. Where does the organic cotton for the polo shirts made in China come from? Do they ship it from the US? When I visited some fabric mills in China they were absolutely puzzled when I asked if they had any organic fabrics.

"But theevildrsin," you ask. "If Patagonia, or other manufacturers stand by their quality, what does it matter if it is made elsewhere?"

I believe in supporting US companies and more specifically US companies that manufacture product in the US, hopefully from US derived materials. I believe it is more likely that a lower paid factory worker will have less incentive to make a quality product than a higher paid worker living in the US. From my experience in China, most the workers have no idea of the context in which we will use our product because they do not use it themselves. While managing cost is important no matter where your factory is, in China it is ALL about cost. This means the cheapest materials, manufacturing technique, labor, machines, and factory environment will be used with cost effectiveness in mind. Is that what you want in your product? It is the equivalent of having work done by the lowest bidder.

So does Made in USA mean better quality? Not all the time. You have to do your own research. I have worked with both US and Chinese factories, and the US workers and suppliers will cut corners if you are not careful. But it is a lot easier to achieve the quality of materials and workmanship you desire. My suggestion is to focus your purchases on high quality, low volume manufacturers. You will pay more, but these type of companies produce quality goods and will definitely stand behind their work. Companies such as TAD Gear (outdoor gear and apparel) and BillyKirk (leather goods). It takes a little work, money, and trial and error, but you hopefully will find a USA Made product that will work for you for many years to come. I suggest if you are about to buy something, consider the US made alternative.

Beer Bottle Opener

I found a 10mm wrench in the street while biking so decided to make a bottle opener out of it. I cut off most of one side of the open end wrench, leaving a slight lip to catch under the bottle cap. To give a more positive grip on the cap I cut a notch into the lip. Tadaaa! functional bottle opener and much cooler than those keychain shark ones you get at the beach. Someone beer me.

quote of the day

"That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest"

- Henry David Thoreau

Hmm, I guess "that man" is not me with the car addiction and interest in product design, however following my theory of Selective Minimalism I think I can make a go of it. Own nice things, but fewer of them.

Debt free...now what?

Just accomplished one of my New Year's resolutions...I am now debt free! I just paid off my car loan. I never plan on having another car payment. I will have to control the car addiction better and in the future pay cash, well for everything...

Now most importantly I need to figure out how to maintain a debt free lifestyle while achieving my goals. My immediate one is to figure out what to do to earn money. Yes I know, it's called work because it's not necessarily supposed to be fun, right? Well I'm looking to develop multiple income streams, work on something that doesn't feel like a freaking grind, possibly being able to work from home, and hopefully not answer to anyone. Special thanks to my supportive girlfriend who is being patient and helpful as I explore the possibilities.

Metal Fetish - Exovault iPod Touch Brass Case

Jeez this is turning into a product blog rather than yammering about cars or even money...Well I love anything metal and/ or wood and www.exovault.com has both! They make metal cases for your iPhone or touch. This one is my favorite! It is the iPod Touch brass case. I bet you'd assume I'd prefer the aluminum cases but what I like about the brass is that it will tarnish a little with time. I like materials that build character and age a little through time. Plastics age in such a boring manner. Well this is $95, basically half the cost of my touch. Makes no financial sense and I have a perfectly good orange rubber case my girlfriend gave me. Still, I want one.

Quote of the Day

" The way of the warrior is to master the virtue of his weapons. "

- Miyamoto Musashi

Vibram Five Fingers - Day 6

After six days of wearing my VFF Classics in Black size 40, the elastic has come loose out of the nylon drawcord sleeve as shown in the photo above. Quite honestly this is unacceptable quality. Also quite honestly, after working with many Chinese factories, I am not surprised and despite my high standards I am also resigned to that reality. Most factory workers do not have a personal pride or spiritual stake in the product they make. I will probably repair the defect myself rather than deal with the hassle of returning it. In over a decade of owning and using outdoor gear I have never had a drawcord fail.

However I am enjoying the comfort and barefooted feeling overall. It makes even my minimalist running shoes feel very cushy. My girlfriend still thinks I look very odd. If she gets out of line I threaten to buy her a pair. At the library checkout counter, I caught a mother and daughter both do a cartoonlike double take at my toeshoes...so I waved my toes at them. As I walked through the library parking lot I saw them drive by and they waved and smiled. VFF's seem to effect good natured curiosity rather than freaked out horror. At the Fresh Market grocery store, a customer inquired about the shoes while I was getting my free coffee. On the other hand, my parents just find it strange but par for the course when dealing with me.

Yesterday I went up on the roof to clean the gutters with a blower. While I hate heights, the VFF's gave me good traction and feel. It gave me a little more confidence to walk up closer to the roof edge than in the past while wearing boots. It is still cold here to be wearing VFF's but I cannot wait to run some dirt trails in them.

My VFFs don't protect my feet from the ground...they protect the ground from my feet!

The Best vs. Good Enough

As a consumer and as someone interested in design, I think it is a fun challenge to find my sweet spot for any product category. It is relatively easy to find the best or cheapest of an item, it is harder to find the point of diminishing returns for more money spent.

CHEAP. Want to find the cheapest of some product? Easy - I can go to Wal-Mart and find something for about as cheap as I can get in this country. Most likely it will be made in China and most likely I will wear it out soon. No problem right? Just throw it away and buy another one. Except I'm contributing to a throwaway culture, wasting resources, and often I may be spending as much or more than if I just bought a higher quality item in the first place. I can get some beach sandals for $2 and when that plastic strap breaks toss it in the trash and buy another pair. There is also no satisfaction of using a quality product.

BEST. Finding the "best" of some product is pretty easy too. Spend lots of money! When there is an unlimited budget, it is easy to get the highest quality, top performing product. One can also spend the money to maintain the item.

GOOD ENOUGH. The hard part is recognizing that I can spend more money but past a certain point there are diminishing returns. I first need to define what I am looking for in an item. Hmm, let's use cars as an example. What is the sweet spot in buying a car? I want a daily drivable car that can seat four people comfortably occasionally, a roof rather than convertible in case I want to use a roof rack, as light as possible, reasonable gas mileage (30 mpg hwy), low maintenance, can carry a fair amount of gear, and fun to drive (defined as an involving drive). My current thoughts is that a used 5th Generation four door, manual transmission Volkswagen GTI is the sweet spot. It has the performance, efficiency, and practicality I need. It also has the luxury features found on more expensive cars. The only question mark is reliability, based on VW past performance. ANYONE HAVE A BETTER SUGGESTION? I also like the Mini Cooper S but it is less practical.

Again, the hard part is recognizing that sweet spot and not spending more money.