Monthly Archives: November 2016

Drawstring Solution

Ray Whiting -- Posted on by

A friend sent a nice bit of birthday money (Thank you, Lisa!) and it was exactly the right amount to get a two-pack of inexpensive sweat pants – just what I need for around-the-house this winter.

When I was a kid, drawstrings at the waistband had two ends, and you tied them together the same way you tied your shoe laces.   Apparently that went the way of the dodo bird because virtually EVERY thing I own that has a waistband drawstring now has the closed-loop style… like this:

drawstring1

Now, I don’t know about you, but I find this loopy thing to be almost impossible to tie tightly enough to be worthwhile.  BUT if you don’t tighten, eventually whatever you are wearing begins to fall down.

Thankfully, last year I bought a package of squeeze-lock cord catcher things… yes, I know there’s a name for it, but I can’t think of it.   Anyway, they are already in most of my other drawstring attire, and I still have quite a few left.   I LOVE LOVE LOVE these things.  You squeeze the top and bottom together as you pull the cord through, then release the thingie and a spring-loaded catch captures the cord and holds it firmly enough that your drawers don’t fall down.

Besides being great for quickly securing my sweats and surfer shorts and other drawstring attire, these would be AWESOME for seniors who can’t easily tie bowties or can’t make a secure enough knot in these dang-burn-it closed-loop drawstring things.

I think there were originally made for quickly closing/opening totebags or camping gear, but I find them useful in other ways.

drawstring2

If you really REALLY want to order some, I’ll go back through my Amazon orders and see what they are called, just leave a note in the comments section below.

 

 

This is how we science

Ray Whiting -- Posted on by

Science is important in everyday living.  Science is a method of learning or understanding the world around us.   Many of us use the scientific method so often that we don’t stop to think about it.  The first part of the scientific method is Observation — just looking at it to see what you have.   Then comes whatever testing might seem appropriate (in the case below, that would be tasting).   And then making some conclusions.  It is important to remember the difference between evidence-based objective observations and personal, subjective opinions.

Like this evening, just for example.   I discovered I had two pints of Cookies & Cream ice cream — one is Kroger’s house brand, Private Selection, and the other is from a local dairy, Blue Bunny.

Looking at the tops, we can see they are very similar; Private Selection is a little darker, richer looking ice cream, and the cookie chunks appear to be slightly larger.  The Blue Bunny is whiter, with somewhat smaller bits of cookie. icecreamtest1

But one cannot tell just by looking at the top surface.  A real scientist knows he must dig a little deeper:

icecreamtest2

Ah-HA!!! The Private Selection cookie chunks are larger throughout, 🙂
while the Blue Bunny product offers much smaller bits.   🙁

So far, these are evidence-based conclusions. We can observe the color and texture, and anyone observing would reach the same conclusions.

But there’s more!  The Private Selection product tastes better, but that’s a personal and very subjective opinion.   (What? You didn’t think I would scoop out samples and not actually eat them, did  you?)   I also prefer the Private Selection mouth-feel, which again is quite subjective.   Cheaper quality ice creams leave a fatty film in my mouth; fortunately Blue Bunny doesn’t do this but there is (to me) a slightly different mouth-feel.

Is one *better* than the other?  It’s more a matter of preference rather than *better*.  I like the Private Selection product  not only for color and texture, as well as taste and mouth-feel.   But there is also the expense of acquiring the product.

Blue Bunny is sold at the local corner market.  It is always $2.79 a pint, or 2/$5.00.

Private Selection pints are always $1.79 at Kroger, but often 3/$5.00.   Definitely the better price.   Plus, as a Kroger product I get 10% senior discount.  And yesterday when I went, I had a 40¢ coupon for 1 pint!  So, I got it for $1.79 – $0.17 – $0.40 = $1.22.    I am pretty sure $1.22 is better than $2.50.

I will not walk all the way to Kroger just for ice cream.  If I don’t need anything else, but just want ice cream, I will take my insulated lunch kit to the corner market and get two pints, which fit perfectly.  insulatedbag