Displaying 481 To 510 Of 960 Comments Hey biz, welcome to a very safe and informative place » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 2:31 pm Welcome Ferra, it will take a couple of days to get past your shell shock at not being modded or yelled at » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 2:30 pm Another GREAT MN product that made its way to Hawaii only because of WW II. I grew up with Spam, fried, baked, cold sandwich, grilled cheese with Spam. Spamloaf – Oh god, I’m going to hurl. Now I know WHY I became vegetarian. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 7:36 am Zoot, well said. The people of NW Iowa in particular do not surprise me. While there may be a border between IA and MN it’s really just a change in the style of rest areas on the interstate or the IA farmer growing corn instead of his MN neighbor doing Soybeans. The attitudes cross the border quite easily, sadly most of them are really quite bigoted. There is a lot of fear up in these parts. Racism, intolerance and homophobia rule the roost Much of the area to the south of me is hard core Lutheran and in MN the only difference between them and the Catholics, are the little trappings, Latin, nuns, priests, confession and I think the Catholics have better wine. Other than that they have the same outlook – white is right, religious right is better, evangelical right is the only key to heaven. Thankfully I’m headed to hell cuz I think more of my friends will be there to entertain me. Let us not forget the area in question in the interview is either in or next to Steve King’s district, you know that guy, Mr Liberal? And a short way up the interstate you find the southern burbs of MSP where the women almost made McCain faint when she cackled into the microphone on national TV that Obama was an arab. I think that was the moment McCain knew he’d made a mistake letting the pitbull go out and whip up that hatred machine. And let us not forget the northern burbs of MSP are Bachman country. Yes, I am surrounded by zealots, uninformed Fox news devotees. But we are strong in the city. Have plenty of food and heat. We will survive despite the best efforts to bring us to their level. BTW, My sister and her husband are/were Bushies. They even had a signed photo of his on the bedroom dresser. Now that shows you the difference between a liberal and a conservative. If his photo was staring at me from the dresser all the Viagra in the world wouldn’t help. Apparently for them it was a motivator. They finally left his fold when they lost a ton of money in one of the crashes. Now down to low double digit millions they talk about “living simply” – but that’s another story Thanks again » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 7:32 am Marion Nice post that of course leaves my brain trying to ride on several sets of tracks. We here in MN had two smaller riots or at least less nationally reported, one in Minneapolis, the other in St. Paul. I think the racism of MN came forward at that time, peaked and then resubmerged like a stealthy submarine. I don’t think it ever really went away. Incidentally. You know what stopped the rioting here in Mpls? When the AA leaders realized they were burning down their neighborhoods they staged a long march through the white neighborhoods that passed within a block of my house. I went down to watch the march and the cop presence was amazing. They tried to shoo me away but I stood my ground. I was raised in that neighborhood and that night I saw more AA men and women than all the other times of my life. But they made their point, they wanted change and acceptance and they weren’t going to destroy their own neighborhoods. And it did work. My cousin grew up near an Air Force base in MS. I went there often to visit and I can remember his father, a colonel, telling me about the “caste” system of the south – aristocracy, upper crust, managers, blue collar, blacks and “white trash”, He was VERY clear that the poor whites were held in lower esteem than the blacks who, as you might expect, were mostly laborers and domestics. But of all things HE taught me about racial equality because he was undergoing a major change in his southern upbringing that went full circle when he was arrested for marching with Civil Rights workers in AL. Almost cost him his rank but he was very opposed to inequality and bigotry. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 7:19 am Ecat – first my thanks for astonishing me I made a point – important too 🙂 The medical device field I served in – well let’s say retail prices were a function of insurance reimbursement. Countries like Canada paid about 20% of what we pay here. Why? They refuse to pay more. And they told the US companies to take it or shove it. Ditto many other Euro countries. We saw prices range from $2000 to $10000 for the same product. The US is about $8000 btw, Japan, Suisse are the two highest. Also the potentate states like SA etc. They pay about ten grand for a product that goes for two in Canada. Doctors get much higher rates than Canada but Canadian docs still make a good living and are held in higher esteem while for the most part being just like your next door neighbor, because they often are. Hospital costs in Canada are lower because they are not profit driven (and before you say most hospitals are not for profit – I beg to differ, that’s all accounting). Nurses and allied health care workers are mostly on par across all countries. We can’t blame health care workers for the problems. And yet when they threaten to walk over the shoddy treatment they get for lower pay and reduced benefits they are demonized in the press. The mark ups just kill me. We bitch about DoD paying $400 for a hammer they can buy at Home Depot for $25. Medical products are the same yet we don’t express outrage over that. Why? Because the MSM doesn’t really want us to be aware of that or we might end up rallying in Central Park like the Egyptians. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 13, 2011 @ 8:32 am I worked in health care, delivery and supplier. The mark ups are outrageous and the profits obscene so getting the corporations to buy into it is unlikely. Ditto the insurance industry that makes a killing on premiums. We have a longer road then we know. And I do agree with you about Canada being superior in it’s treatment of its people. They just have a much sunnier attitude on the whole, the people that is. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 13, 2011 @ 7:56 am funk – small steps. when you build furniture starting with shit stained grey barn boards using hand tools you really grasp the concept of small steps. I agree he’s a bridge to change, let’s just hope it’s not Sara’s bridge to nowhere » Posted By jdmn17 On February 13, 2011 @ 7:51 am The Failed History of Conservatism in America But by god, I want to dictate to your uterus and sexual actions » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 8:44 pm Borderline personality? » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 8:43 pm I like that description because I think a lot of real conservatives are appalled at the direction the “conservative movement” has gone. It seems that’s it become so radicalized or turned into a religious movement that no one can really recognize it these days. I suppose the same could be said of liberals. What we seem to have are two variants of the terms. What if most of us turned out to be in the middle? Would that be a shock? I don’t know. Brain’s tired tonight but I think I’m feeling the need for some kindness tonight. So I’m handing it out where I can. Except to the farthest extremes of the fringe. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 8:42 pm As much as it galls me to write it, I am waiting for the TeaParty to split off. I know they won’t because they are riding the coattails of the Republicans, or are the roles reversing? What ever the case is does seem ridiculous they aren’t out there on their own. It might spur the left or green people to step up, or maybe the Libertarians. Having several parties being forced to agree to get legislation passed might be novel. Then again, given the last two years, getting any legislation passed seems to be the least of our Congress’ problems. The posturing and fluff bills coming from the House today are, for the most part, laughable. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 10:11 am David – I agree, there needs to be some way to protect the smaller states from the larger. Way too much potential for abuse, toxic waste dumps come to mind. Now if there was only some way to protect the 98% of us who, well, that’s another story. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 10:07 am Khirad – the thought of any government rep even down to the state level voting to contract the size of the legislatures makes me howl. MN has this HUGE legislator group to serve about five million people. There are a lot of varied interests of course but as the budget shortfall increases here the solution is going to be to no plow the snow and shut down pothole repair instead of shrinking the size of the government itself. They know of course that MN people are tired of potholes already to threatening to stop filling them is like a war cry. Natch they’ll try to find a way to fund it through some new tax. They had an article on the news about asking companies to pitch in for road repair on the roads to their businesses. My son thought we should have an “Adopt a Pothole” program. There’s one at the end of my street he wants his name on, almost took out his tire the other day and it’s only mid-Feb. By the end of March it might be big enough to swallow one of those Smart Cars or maybe even a Geek squad dude. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 10:05 am It seems to sway from one side to the other like a blowsy and very drunk old hooker on six inch spikes walking on wet cobblestone. You never know if they’re going to make it across the street before the bus takes her out » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 9:59 am Pluto – one thing Abby suggested was to put the name of the person you are replying to first, just like I did here. That way you can look at recent comments and link easily. The other thing I’ve noticed is that we are no longer modded so you can actually sit on one story and if two or three people are posting in the same thread it actually becomes a mini-convo. Not like chat but much closer than the old HP way where you’d post a reply and have it go to Never Land. Maybe it would, and maybe it wouldn’t get through. I’m starting to get it – a little but the same people are flying from story to story when there’s a lot more here so it can be a little confusing. Better than the old way though. Welcome » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 9:55 am Tips For Newcomers (and Regulars Alike) Celere There are two ways I get around. The first is I look to the right and see recent comments. That tells me where the “Action” is. The second it the blog roster. I think they are listed from most to least active. Someone correct me please Last but not least, Cher taught me to put the name of the person I’m responding to first in my reply, then you can look at recent comments and see who is writing you. I’m here now ten days and it gets easier. Still miss some comments but not many. Welcome and enjoy Check out how to add a gravatar as well » Posted By jdmn17 On February 16, 2011 @ 10:42 am 🙂 If you want a good chuckle there was a thread here, what happened over there comes here – something like that. I’ll let the Ministers of Correctness call me out on it. There we were free and encouraged to post our emotions, hint, love was not one, there with abandon. Have fun here » Posted By jdmn17 On February 14, 2011 @ 5:17 pm OTL The nice thing is you can actually use her name here! Oh MY! » Posted By jdmn17 On February 14, 2011 @ 5:04 pm The State of Education in America I have an allied health degree and worked in hospitals for six years. I was amazed at how many of my peers were virtually clueless about anything but medicine. I would try to carry on a conversation about history for example and get the deer in the headlights look. We should not ignore the ability of the Liberal Arts curriculum to prepare us to interact with others. Then again I wonder how many conservatives would never consider a “Liberal Arts” degree because they were afraid it would make them liberal? » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 11:35 am There was a posting on the old HP site a couple of weeks ago in which an obviously conservatively focused writer said that conservatives were people who got their education and went out and became productive while liberals were non productive people who stayed in school learning foolish things because they had neither the talent or courage to go out and face the real world to become productive contributors. I didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 11:32 am Where are the parents in all this? How many of them are glued to Fox screaming about how they want government out of their lives but abdicate responsibility to educate their own kids. I can’t believe it. Do they not give one shit about them? This country is suffering an epidemic of narcissism and it seems to be spreading » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 11:22 am Surprised they don’t call them Muslim numerals right now. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 11, 2011 @ 11:12 am Doing Business – The Right Way PW You can find me on a dot com listing for jeffbuildsfurniture or use the same name at etsy. The etsy site is more current pieces. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 1:38 pm Consignment for me was a dark hole. I would take a piece over and they would immediately cover it with dinnerware and table cloths. Good for the dinner ware, bad for the table underneath. Plus everything I do is custom and when I sat down with the owners they wanted to up the fee to 40%. When I balked they suggested I raise the prices. I didn’t want to do that because my clientele have grown used to my price points and I didn’t see why I needed to raise prices across the board for one customer who might get me an order a month. My customer base is very specific. Mostly young people getting their first “real” piece of furniture, mostly “green” so they don’t have a ton of money. People with cabins in the woods who don’t want to pay an arm and leg for something for a second home and last and certainly not least, recently divorced, mostly women in their 40’s and 50’s who want to start over. None of them are high buck buyers. The other thing about consignment is damage (I’d worry about theft but it’s hard to shoplift a seven foot farm table). They would call me and I’d go over to see a huge scratch or scrape, pull the piece, repair it and bring it back. I last one year with a really nice couple but that was it. When I pulled out I sold the two display pieces cheap and left two couples who loved my stuff but didn’t have a ton of money very happy. Since then I’ve gotten three orders from their friends. So it does work out. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 1:15 pm I don’t get the call much anymore but I’ve done several pieces for customers sans electricity and with no metal fasteners at all. There is something to be said for it although it takes forever. I still make M&T’s the old fashioned way although I do have some wonderful Japanese hand saws for cutting tenons and dovetails. I was talking to a guy about it at Rockler and told him I could cut a mortise with a chisel as fast as he could with a mortise bit – naturally I was blowing smoke 🙂 I have a number of old tools I still rely on, including several old planes. The edges hold so well compared to the new steel. Same with chisels. Sad about your woodshop. Sometimes I think there is a vindictive streak in divorce and they go for things they know will hurt the most. When I split with my wife one of the things she wanted and got was a pair of hand made Adirondack chairs. I acted really put out but when I got home I went out and built two that I actually liked better – butternut instead of cedar. They still sit in my yard and I know it irks her royally I replaced them so easily. Ditto the kitchen ware – I was the cook and baker – but I got lucky and found a complete replacement of even better stuff at three estate sales within two months. I don’t even, I get better than even. I’ll watch for the homework and am eager to see what you have for ideas. Thanks again, the bed sounds awesome. My avatar is a blue farm table with barn siding top turned so the inside faces up. I sell a lot of those although almost entirely outside the state of MN. Go figure that one out, » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 1:04 pm Pluto, I had build furniture from reclaimed lumber so I think we have a lot in common. Art in wood, it’s fun but it’s challenging and moreover it’s hard to get people to appreciate that art has to cost something. OHOH, I might start whining. » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 10:40 am PW I meant to write you earlier to thank you for the effort you are putting into these great stories. I run a one dude shop – man but my son is into calling me dude these days because my hair is starting to look like the Dude’s – I hand build furniture and it’s a wild ride after thirty years of sucking on the corporate teat of bi monthly paychecks and paid health care and vacations.. Then again I’ve never felt as free and the stresses I do encounter are mostly with finding more sources for the reclaimed barn lumber I build with, getting my son to come over and help me flip a twelve foot table top or loading it into the moving van and of course the marketing business side of things. I did have thirty years of marketing experience so that wasn’t so bad but it’s hard at night when you’re pooped to remember or get motivated to go to etsy and update things there and then to my website and update there. That’s one thing for small business guys is the way google rewards your tinkering with higher placements in their search engine. I often make a simple change that takes fifteen minutes just to keep feeding the google animal. As for growing. I’ve looked several times at extending my toe into the water of expansion but each time I’ve taken on what seems to be a great apprentice they really can’t cut the work load, or is it just they can’t hack me? Maybe I better revisit that 🙂 Regardless, I do all hand joinery so I get a lot of people who want to learn but they tend to try it, get frustrated and I can tell they are just marking time before they can get back to their power tools. So I think I’m stuck with me, which in the end is fine enough. It means I can’t take on large jobs like the eighty table order I passed on last month because they wanted cheap and fast and hand made and rustic. They didn’t seem to get the inconsistency in their request. Regardless, thanks for what you are writing, there are a few people I’m going send here to read it. They think all I do all day is cut a couple of boards, sit around and admire lumber, go in the house at night and sip Merlot. If they only knew it is a seven day a week life – and I don’t for one second regret it. In fact I’m secretly delighted » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 10:38 am Very cool, brought back some memories of course. We really had bad looking uniforms back then 🙂 And I remember how heavy the equipment was and got by the end of the day. Ah gees, going back down the road again. Haven’t been there in a while. Took my son to the Wall two years ago, it still breaks my heart but it was cool because he so saw and felt the things I felt there. He called it a window of energy into another time. Talked about how once you walked in you were sucked in further and further until you got to the corner. Very powerful and he talked to several of the Veterans who were helping people find names. I think he got it though (he was 17 at the time) » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 7:01 am Yeah, I’m in MN and of course ethanol is back in the news here. More subsidies coming. Coupled with the farm subsidies the farmers around here are still happily flying off to Hawaii for two weeks on their government checks while they bitch about entitlement programs. Very tough not to grind my teeth at night » Posted By jdmn17 On February 10, 2011 @ 6:56 amComments Posted By jdmn17
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