The pine cones, pressure-treated with industrial cinnamon scent are back.
Archives for category: Retail
Common flashlight batteries are now locked up like diamond jewelry.
Welcome Home Troops – Looking Ahead
Kristi Noem is sealing off the border. Any day now, cartel drugs will no longer be available anywhere in WA.
People will no longer need cash to support a drug habit. There will be no more need to steal, and we can all go back to how things were in the last century.
Back to a time before the US Dept. of Homeland Security was established in 2002. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
The Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area chases after cartel product not stopped at the border by Kristi Noem.
Will Northwest HIDTA be shut down when cartel drugs stop entering the US? Have recent US Dept. of Homeland Security efforts reduced the need for Northwest HIDTA services?
Any questions from newspeople?
Possibly of interest:
New Drug War – Designated Terrorist Organization Drug Boats
Seattle – Still Waiting On Kristi Noem
“Drug addicts who steal to feed their habit typically want their cash up front.”
Generic Q-tips Are A Controlled Item at Walmart
We made a quick stop at the grocery store in Montesano, where we saw the sign above.
Montesano seems to have several old school restaurants. We have not yet visited one.
We will stop again at the grocery store.
Possibly of interest:
Photo above:
Working Waterfront – Westport, WA
A genuine seaport town – sending the message that the ways of the last century are best when managing public safety and a modern society. Don’t bring your Whidbey crap here.
From the web:
With REAL ID, America Now Has National ID Cards and Internal Passports
J.D. TUCCILLE – Reason magazine May 23, 2025
From the small town grocery store:
Preparing to honor the fallen and later celebrate our nation’s freedoms this weekend.
Went in yesterday to purchase beer. Our local, small town grocery store has a new policy: All must show ID to buy beer. If Mom & Pops go through the line with beer, both must show ID. This happened last time I went shopping there with my wife.
I was born in 1960. Yesterday, I was asked for ID. I had forgotten about the new policy, but quickly remembered.
I mentioned to the cashier in a cheerful way that I have been legal to buy beer for about 45 years now.
Both major parties are OK with federal prohibition of alcohol and tobacco for adults age 18-20.
No such thing the day I graduated from high school.
That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.
Both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Good luck with your US Armed Forces recruiting crisis.
Armed Forces Recruiting Crisis
In past decades, people could do time in uniform, then return to the US with a feeling that they were living in the best country on the planet.
Standards have deteriorated. Today, the troops return to an ongoing breakdown of society.
REAL ID
Newspeople play along by not asking questions.
At the airport- REAL ID will solve what sorts of problems? What will improve?
Would any newsperson ever ask:
What keeps terrorists of the GWOT from creating a disruption at the back end of the airport security/ID screening line?
Some version of REAL ID has been required at border crossings and ports of entry since 2009.
More cartel drug overdose deaths now, or before REAL ID?
Any questions from newspeople?
More here:
REAL ID at the border since 2009/opioid lawsuit update:
Related:
Possibly of interest:
1980s Veterans – WTF Happened?
Most And Least Meaningful Federal Holidays
Memorial Day- long weekend/BBQ guilt trips
The people of Alaska need services in the Middle East
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
Image at top of page:
Something from the last century
Wife and I went out to a local grocery store to pick up veggies and beer.
Wife is up front with credit card to pay while I unload cart behind her. Cashier (friendly and professional) needs to see both of our IDs to make beer purchase.
Both of us were born in the 1960s. Wife told me/pointed out that the store had put up a bold type sign in advance notifying of this new policy.
Over the past few years:
Some places simply want you to state your DOB. Some want to see ID and some want to scan ID.
This was the first time both adults had to show ID for one adult to pay for beer.
More here:
Checking ID For Beer – Customers In Their Early 60s
Leavenworth COVID And Beer Drinking Oddities
Both major parties are OK with federal prohibition of alcohol and tobacco for adults age 18-20.
No such thing the day I graduated from high school.
That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
Really like the jalapeño cheese bagels at Safeway.
Normally pluck out one or two and they go into a plain paper bag similar to what we carried for school lunches back in the 70s.
Yesterday, these plastic bags were stocked in place of the regular paper ones. I am confused now about what version of bags are meant to be used or avoided based on saving the planet. In the 70s we were taught not to be a litterbug. Recycling was a thing.
The plastic bagel bag was a dandy for cleaning out the cat litter box today. We promise not to throw it all out the window as we blast down the highway, or leave it at the beach next time we go out.
We promise not to leave the bag next to the trail and never go back to pick it up next time we go for a hike.
Possibly of interest:
Leave it cleaner than you found it-
Ultra Lightweight Produce Bags
Give the planet a break and reach for these super lightweight, environmentally-friendly produce bags. Use caution when loading sweet potatoes, ears of corn, bananas, etc. Using two, three or four of the lightweight bags creates enough strength to recreate the use of the old bags that were not OK for the global environment.
Also, be sure to allow plenty of time and patience to pick away at the proper end of the bag in order to try and get it open. Using several bags for a few sweet potatoes requires the attempt at opening the bag steps to be repeated multiple times for the same size produce purchase.
Took a look on the web to see if others were sharing on this topic. No such luck. Independent thinking and blog posts appear to have been scrubbed away. The web is now about trying to sell you stuff.
Possibly of interest:
A local Mom and Pop’s restaurant is still using the banned and evil plastic bags that are best suited for their customers to carry home hot menu selections.
See the bag we were given at the restaurant here:
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
Above: Seen at the grocery store checkout yesterday.
Below: 7/30/25
Below: 3/20/25
Current culture may not be very satisfying. Maybe it isn’t great for selling magazines. Turn away from the present and slip away into another time with these selections.
I have wondered if movies over the past 15 years or so have relied more on special effects, fantasy based themes, comic book characters from the past, medieval characters with special powers, lighting bolts delivered from giant swords, etc. All this because American culture these days may not be too interesting.
Possibly of interest:
When I was a kid, reality TV was The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.
The Night of the Squid:
Also, about this time in history: The first man on the Moon.
More here:
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
We recently took a road trip and we were away for a couple nights. We did a little retail shopping. That opportunity is limited where we live.
We came home and took a few days to fully unpack. Days after the trip, we found this loss prevention tag on a new pair of shoes. A call to the store resulted in their request to bring the item back to have the tag removed. Hundreds of miles of driving was not on our list of things to do. It was recommended that we take the shoes to a store closer to home. Not happening.
Many related YouTube videos are available, so we went to learn more. Seems like this issue is common, but the gadget we have is attached with a cable and the ones we found on the web had a different sort of fitting/locking mechanism.
We saw various references to explosions of ink or loud alarm noises should the unit be tampered with.
We decided to use bolt cutters to cut the cable. It worked super easy. No ink. No Air Raid Siren.
Was the tag scanned out when we paid for it? We heard no alarm when we left the store. I am in my early 60s and am often asked for my DOB to buy beer. No similar prompt to remove loss tag at checkout?
Next time, we will check for tags before rolling out.
AI
Wanted to blur out part of the store receipt above. On Mac Photos, the old way was to retouch by creating a blur. I have enjoyed this feature for things like blurring out a car license plate you don’t want to show. The new AI way seems to want to insert distorted characters in place of what was there.
I like the old blur it out way, not the new insert characters way.
My first time using it, so maybe I have it wrong.
Possibly of interest:
Does AI Create Fake Info For The Web – Oyhut State Park?
Image above: recent visit to a grocery store.
Let’s step away from the 2024 grocery store and take a trip back to about 1970. The old hardware store in town is a good place to get a key made. Some human interaction is part of it.
People used to repair their own small appliances like toasters and lamps. The hardware store might have repair parts available. The appliances and the repair parts were probably manufactured in a location such as Indiana, Michigan or Ohio.
There’s also a shop in town where you can get your TV repaired instead of throwing it away and buying more. There’s a gas station that will install a new fan belt, check under the hood, do an oil change, give directions or sell you a map, etc.
For food, the gas station has a pop machine and a Cold War era vending machine with candy, gum, and little packs of crackers. Maybe two or three of these.
The place smells like auto transmission fluid and gear oil. Not a bad thing-happy to go back.
If you were a kid in the 70s, you could walk into a gas station and ask if they had any inner tubes for floating around in the water. We did this in Kitsap County (Hockett & Olsen) In the early 1970s. They would find various inner tubes and pump them up to see if they would hold air. They would install an air valve if needed. All free of charge.
Gas stations are mostly gone now. Mini-marts with 24 hour corndogs, nachos and giant cans of beer have taken their place. If you have car trouble, this is probably not the place. Today, the mini-mart will honor your EBT needs.
Missing Man Formation
Back at the (open 24 hours) grocery store- looks like whoever used to operate the floor cleaning rig has gone on to join the WWII veteran who made keys at your local hardware store back when American made cars were attractive, powerful and cool. Trucks were simple and attractive too, they even sold small ones there for awhile.
The floor machine company still makes a unit with a place for a human operator to be seated. Maybe if you purchase the unmanned operations control module or the software to make it work, you can send someone else home.
Here it comes, moving from right to left:
A flashing light and loud/industrial audio warning every few seconds will alert shoppers that nearby cleaning operations are currently underway.
There it goes. Whoever operated the unit can now be removed from the Christmas card/bonus list. Extra space at the office party is now available.
Old Gas Cans
People used to work in US factories making various models of metal gas cans:
These sort of lasted forever. They were easy to use. I have a plastic version from the early 90s that works well. It has a simple air vent. Just right.
Quality replacement parts were sold for years. This kit appears to no longer be available.
Related:
Our laundry room fan stopped working. We went to a big box store to see if they had a replacement part/unit. We only needed the fan motor-nothing else.
In the old days, things would be fixed or repaired. Today, the idea is to throw it away and start over as if the unit had never been installed to begin with.
We arrived at a big display of bathroom fans. Buttons were being pushed to sample fan features. Exhaust fan units today come with lights, a sound system and the ability to speak to a machine and ask it to play music or order items for the bathroom. All of this was being demonstrated at the store display.
I said out loud:
Alexa,
Take me back to 1975 and leave me there.
Possibly of interest:
The Old Days – People Would Exchange A Wave
New Digital Photo Frames/New Version of the Internet Rant
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
Photo above:
November 1st. Many people are out shopping. Maybe they came for the pine cones, pressure-treated with industrial cinnamon scent. You can smell these out into the parking lot.
The wait is over:
Heading out to run errands, go shopping, looking for a place to park, etc. It will begin to get back to normal around the second week of January.
The good stuff:
More good stuff.
The large pine cones, pressure-treated with industrial cinnamon scent are back:
Grab yourself a lawn mower and a Christmas tree too!
The scary Halloween decorations of my youth have been replaced with this?
Watermelon is looking good:
Related:
Retail Season – Late September
Shipping box shows keys are included, no keys are included in damaged box.
Trying to confirm if I need to order/reorder keys. Does this unit ship with keys?
Hard to get a straight answer.
Sep 10, 2024 update:
Received this excellent answer:
“There are no keys, nor any place to use keys. There are no physical locks on the carrier. There are “lock icons” which indicate the direction to turn the locking ring to “lock” the support arms in place. This is purely an information icon, not a security device.
The carrier is excellent, works very well with a vehicle with a protruding read bumper it can rest on but you must provide your own security if you plan to leave it and/or a bike attached and unattended.
Jonathan D · September 10, 2024”
John Wayne generation not heading out to grab beer for the big weekend. Also not over at the new car dealership picking out one of the attractive cars or simple pickup trucks of the 1960s and 70s.
My favorite beer styles are NW or West Coast IPA, German Pilsner and Mexican beer. Here, in the Grays Harbor area, German beer appears to be unavailable. That adds a certain mystique.
I live in an area where beer selection is limited:
Grays Harbor Beer Availability Report
Beer Availability Report – Washington Coast
The shelf space available is occupied with what is new and most popular. Fizzy, Kool-Aid colored hard seltzers, lite beers, super, extra light low calorie/low carb beers, etc.
I truly believe:
The best beers are the ones you enjoy most
No problem with any of what is available, but the traditional stuff/less popular labels get edged out.
Possibly of interest:
Green/Clear Beer Bottle Myths?
Part Two – Green/Clear Beer Bottle Myths?
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
The beer photo fetish page features a true grab bag of different beer styles and brands. We’ve been at it since 2012.
Below: The scary Halloween decorations of my youth have been replaced with this.
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
The local beer on Okinawa. A 633ml bottle here.
“With an even more refreshing taste, a new draft beer was born in the summer of 2015, the same year draft beer celebrated its 55th birthday.”
If you remember a distinctive flavor from the past century, it looks like things have changed.
In the news:
May 17, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
Very hard to find this one on store shelves in the area where I live. Purchased this one at: Total Wine & More Olympia
Related:
Christmas Tree – USMC Okinawa – 1980
Speaking of memories, there is an 80s/90s style mall that is up and running in Olympia. The store where I purchased the beer here is attached to the mall.
The beer photo fetish page features a true grab bag of different beer styles and brands. We’ve been at it since 2012.
Local store recently reorganized the retail floor and some items have moved to new locations. Went looking for Q-tips and usually buy the store brand. I asked a friendly member of the staff and was directed to the new location of this product. I was told that the item must be paid for prior to leaving the beauty/personal care/cosmetic section. No problem with me. I do not bitch to the friendly person who is helping me. I believe that no person at the local outlet made a decision to create these changes.
I’ve got my blog to ask questions. Here goes.
It’s clear the WWII generation is mostly gone now. I can understand that some items are of high value (diamond engagement rings, electronics, etc.) and need to be paid for on the spot. I understand that some items may pose a risk to children (prescription medication, fifth of booze, shotgun shells, etc.) and may need to be sold only to adults.
Not yet understanding why generic/store brand Q-tips fall into any special category.
Related:
Back in 2017
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
Image above: recently seen at a local retail outlet.
Image below: recently seen at a local retail outlet.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
Feb 18, 2024 update:
I had good luck ordering the replacement unit I needed from:
I was happy will all aspects of their service and I would go with them next time.
Our laundry room fan stopped working. We went to a big box store to see if they had a replacement part/unit.
In the old days, things would be fixed or repaired. Today, the idea is to throw it away and start over as if the unit had never been installed to begin with.
We arrived at a big display of bathroom fans. Buttons were being pushed to sample fan features. Exhaust fan units today come with lights, a sound system and the ability to speak to a machine and ask it to play music or order items for the bathroom. All of this was being demonstrated at the store display.
I said out loud:
Alexa,
Take me back to 1975 and leave me there.
Possibly of interest:
The Old Days – People Would Exchange A Wave
New Digital Photo Frames/New Version of the Internet Rant
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
Photo-
Indian Beach, OR
Alternative media provides an update on the banning of gas powered outdoor equipment:
Unlike many local newspapers, alternative media is good with maintaining an active comment section. More than 3,000 comments are posted with the video above.
There are local papers that have stripped away all comments from past articles, and removed the opportunity to post comments to new articles.
Various newspapers in the Puget Sound area have gone with this trend.
Suppressing comments, getting away from asking questions related to public policy and telling us they need more support from subscription and advertising sales.
Got it.
More here:
Would any newsperson ever ask:
Mass layoffs raise questions about the future of journalism?
Full Name Verified For Social Media?
Hostile Forces In Distant Lands
Did hostile forces in distant lands attempt to replace US consumer demand with government demand and end the free enterprise system?
As the years go by, it seems like celebrating independence on July 4th makes less and less sense. Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
In the news:
Feb 1, 2024 KOMO News
Washington Democrats propose ban on gas-powered landscaping equipment: ‘Not going to work’
“Lawmakers would establish temporary sales and use tax relief and a temporary grant program to accelerate the transition to electric-powered machinery.”
“However, workers have questioned the bill’s practicality.”
“Electric chainsaws are not going to work for our industry,” Washington Contract Loggers Association executive director Jerry Bonagofsky told the Capital Press. “What you see out there may work for homeowners, possibly some light landscaping, but for commercial operations, it’s not going to be efficient enough or productive enough.”
Credit to KOMO for allowing comments here.
From comments:
A move by WA elected officials to ban gas powered equipment doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
Be Sure To Tune In For The Super Bowl DOD Jet Flyover Before The Big Game
Bringing all the swagger that comes with decades of undeclared/unwon wars. The US Dept. of Defense was established after WWII, in the late 1940s. DOD owns a significant track record with undeclared wars.
Would any newsperson ever ask:
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
US jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
Fans cheer on a Dept. of Defense that was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since.
Remember sports fans, the best beers may require the least advertising.
Roaring Sports Fans – Military Jet Flyover
Soviet Style Military Flyovers
Soviet-Style Militarized Pageantry Update
We Need More Military Jet Flyovers
0:41 in the video below:
If ethanol made a lot of sense we wouldn’t have to subsidize it or mandate its consumption:
We are hearing about a US Armed Forces Recruiting crisis. Maybe veterans, young people and their parents and grandparents are starting to wonder what The Troops are fighting for in undeclared/unwon wars. I am.
Governments at various levels are now in the habit of setting deadlines for new restrictions, bans and mandates.
Smoking bans, plastic bag bans, gun bans, federal toilet regulations, bottled water bans, mandates on what sort of vehicle you may drive.
All this, while we are told that US military operations in distant lands are somehow linked to American rights and freedoms.
“…false narrative on climate change…”
Feb 5, 2024 Cliff Mass Weather Blog
Is Northwest Snow History? Scientific Errors in A Major Seattle Times Climate Story
Related:
Consumer Demand Or Government Demand?
Hostile Forces in Distant Lands
Moving Towards A One Size Fits All Society – Climate And Environment
Independence Day Has Lost Its Meaning
Goodbye Free Enterprise System
Freedom Comes And Goes – Joint Chiefs of Staff Play No Part
The country struggles with:
Possibly of interest:
Podcast 9 Defending The Constitution?
How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
Love to see newspeople interview elected officials and let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
Is the list of things government is not good at bigger than a list of the things government does well?
List of Things the Government is Good At – TV News Avoids Asking Questions
Photos above: Recently purchased store brand LED bulbs for general home use.
I’ve been using various brands of LED bulbs at home for years now. This past week, 3 or 4 of them went out, one at a time. The ones that went out were not all the same brand. My take is that they are not lasting any longer than the bulbs I used 35 years ago.
More info:
Feb 15, 2022 Cence Power
LED Bulbs Don’t Last As Long As Advertised, Here’s Why
When I was a kid, lightbulbs were made in places like Ohio, Indiana or Michigan. They were the cheaper/simpler version. Household appliances, auto parts, kids bikes, lawn equipment and tools may have also been manufactured in those locations. Things were made to be fixed or repaired, not thrown out.
Possibly of interest
Old Man Blog category:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Original Old Man Blog here: https://oldmanblogdotcom.wordpress.com
New updates here: https://oakbaystarfish.com/category/old-man-blog/
It’s a busy time of year. Give yourself a break and have a meal without putting a whole lot of time and planning into it.
Ultra Lightweight Produce Bags
Give the planet a break and reach for these super lightweight, environmentally-friendly produce bags. Use caution when loading sweet potatoes, ears of corn, bananas, etc. Using two, three or four of the lightweight bags creates enough strength to recreate the use of the old bags that were not OK for the global environment.
Also, be sure to allow plenty of time and patience to pick away at the proper end of the bag in order to try and get it open. Using several bags for a few sweet potatoes requires the attempt at opening the bag steps to be repeated multiple times for the same size produce purchase.
Took a look on the web to see if others were sharing on this topic. No such luck. Independent thinking and blog posts appear to have been scrubbed away. The web is now about trying to sell you stuff.
If you are in the right grocery store, you may have access to a modern credit union, located immediately adjacent to the retail floor. Alaska USA Federal Credit Union was one we used to enjoy.
Alaska is a positive trademark. It represents an independent spirit, a sense of adventure, a rugged outdoor world, a large fishing industry, the 49th state, a major airline was named after it.
Today, the name has been changed:
The new trademark offers up what sorts of images?
Be good to yourself.
Years ago, we purchased a digital photo frame that worked well for a long time. It began to glitch out so we unplugged it and went to look for a new one.
Our old frame was not connected to, or interactive with smart phones, email, social media, Wi-Fi, the internet, etc. This was a nice chance to view some photos in the living room and to be away from all that. We loaded a huge number of photos using a thumb drive. Simple and easy.
Today, it seems that the frames available for sale are interconnected with all of the above. You can invite friends and family to send photos that will be displayed on your photo frame. “Users can react with a heart to photos that are uploaded for added connection.” No Thanks. We are wanting to escape social media and setting up new accounts requiring user names and passwords for a bit.
Not here to take anything away from those who take joy in all the new features, just would prefer to keep it simple and go with a stripped down model. We had one before, we would like to purchase another one now. View our old one here.
Internet Rants
Went to the web and entered: new digital photo frames suck
20 years ago, there would have been various rants posted by people offering up critiques on the new version of the product. Today, the web has been taken over by information related to sales and promotions. Alternative views have been scrubbed away.
Do Americans live in a free and honest society?
As time goes on, I realize that the consumer choices we have are becoming more restricted by a combination of government and big business policies, not Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden or the next bad guy DOD will be going after in distant lands.
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
Trying to recruit a younger generation for US military service – Late 2023
Both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens. This was not the case in the Vietnam War era. More wars = less freedom? Ask your recruiter or elected official. Post in comments and let us know what they told you.
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Related:
Hostile Forces in Distant Lands
Internet was better 20 years ago
Recruiting Crisis – A Million Meals for Military Families In Need
The country struggles with:
Photo-
Something for the digital photo frame from the Westport working waterfront.
Earlier today – Kitsap County
Related:
August – 2023
Last year:
Possibly of interest:
Most And Least Meaningful Federal Holidays
The scary decorations of my youth have been replaced with this.
Late August is Fall in the clash of retail seasons.
Skip the healthy air poppers and convenient microwaveable popcorn packets that come pressure-treated with chemicals.
Have a little fun. Add your own real butter and cook it with oil. Watch and listen as your machine puts on a show.
We went out shopping on Tuesday. These old school machines brought back memories. Just the ticket for upcoming Autumn nights.
August 15th is Halloween candy time in the retail industry.
Trivia – Does Halloween candy have anything on the label that says Halloween?
Last year:
Stopped off the other day at the Silverdale, WA BevMo! store.
I am in my early 60s and was asked for ID to purchase some legal product. The store took it a step further and scanned my driver’s license into their ID card reader system. I did not fuss about it because I was a few hours from home and wanted to get on with my day. Not sure what the company is trying to accomplish with this.
My view is that adults are 18 years old and should be treated as such. I am OK with the store checking IDs for someone who looks like they are still in high school. People in their 60s can not be mistaken for someone under 21 years of age. Over the past year or two, it is common to get ID checked when buying beer. Again, I am 62 years old.
Pet Peeve:
Beer websites have an honor system these days. You must make up an over 21 birth date in order to study brewery offerings. Underage people who desire to view a brewery web site will be stopped by this bogus honor system?
We drank underage for years with no help whatsoever from the internet.
Back in the old days-each of the 50 states was free to set its own drinking age. It was legal to drink as a teen in some states.
Went to high school in Kitsap County in the late 70s.
We started drinking when we were about 15.
Fake IDs (completely fake-not made to look like anything real) worked about 50% of the time to buy beer.
We never went without beer since about age 15.
Making mention of these memories is not to defend operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, legal or illegal drugs or marijuana.
Both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Now in my early 60s, I am frequently asked for ID to show that I am 21 when buying beer at major retail establishments here in WA.
Homeland Security Is A Scam
Americans pay billions of dollars every 12 months for a giant US Dept. of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, drug trafficking cartels move product into all 50 states. Cartel drug busts that happen in Hometown, USA involve drugs that were not stopped at the border. These large drug busts are routinely reported as some sort of big success.
Also drugs not stopped at the border:
Hometown, USA drug overdose stats involving cartel product.
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for risking your ass in Iraq & Afghanistan-working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
While at the same Silverdale, WA BevMo! store, a couple of people in military camo uniforms showed up to do some shopping. Since the catastrophic military failure of 911, and the undeclared/unwon wars that followed, it seems common to see the troops in camo out doing some shopping.
The USMC takes its own view on this:
US Marine Corps
“THE MCCUU IS A FIELD UNIFORM AND IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR WEAR IN A CIVILIAN ENVIRONMENT.”
Related:
A few years back, the US Army reverted to a WWII style uniform:
Trying To Make Sense of Tradition – Reverting To WWII Uniforms
After squandering DOD credibility for decades in distant lands, a new WWII style uniform look and a pledge to clobber the cartels:
April 1, 2020 C-SPAN
Has General Milley’s Operation Macho Swagger reduced access to cartel product anywhere in the US?
Has there been enough time for newspeople to ask questions?
Newspeople remain silent.
WWII costume reminds us of a time before decades of undeclared/unwon wars stacked up.
The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.
Uncle Sam is now dealing with an Armed Forces recruiting crisis.
Love to see the press ask:
General Thomas,
Has dressing women to look like men had any positive or negative impact on recruiting?
Schmoozy Interview With The General – Recruiting Crisis
General Thomas,
We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam.
Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
Some may have become skeptical along the way.
Possibly of interest:
Noticing that many people today drive vehicles with a heavy window tint. In the old days, people might be inclined to make eye contact and exchange a wave. Is there an app for that? Today, many seem to be fully sealed inside a computer and climate controlled rolling entertainment/navigation and communications center, surrounded by tinted windows that used to be appropriate for a presidential motorcade. These features are popular even for pickup trucks today.
1970s Mob Boss – No Tinted Windows
Not Sealed Inside Behind A Heavy Window Tint
Took drivers ed decades ago. We were taught to make eye contact with drivers and pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks to increase safety.
Looks like it’s still a good idea:
More here:
Possibly of interest:
Related:
Thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s
I stopped posting to the blog above a while back because WordPress changed the blog user interface from something that was easy to use and understand to something that became super complicated.
I did not leave WP entirely, but paid extra to keep using this blog. Maybe paying extra means I could easily post to the old blog, but I have not taken time to fuss with it.
More here:
Goodbye Spammy WordPress Likes
Photo-
The Slow Lane – Penn Cove