Historically the three best choices are Down, Polarguard (especially 3D and Delta), and Primaloft, though Climashield sounds pretty good and will likely replace Polarguard as the most commonly use synthetic in the next few years. Each of these materials has different performance characteristics. You will need to decide the relative weighting of these characteristics to…
Shaped tarps can be exceptionally light weight while providing excellent storm protection. The downside of many shaped tarps is that they way you pitch them is limited compared to a classic flat tarp. Shaped tarps come in a variety of sizes and shapes. I have a separate post about “flat” tarps. There are also a…
Tarps are often the lightest shelter to provide protection from the environment, provides more space / weight than other options, and let you stay connected to your environment when pitched open. Tarps can often be set up in a number of ways so they can provide protection for a group of people cooking and eating…
A month ago I happened upon a short story on NPR about the rule of reciprocation. The human inclination to reciprocate has been used by canny individuals and organizations throughout time to extract factorable actions from others. Over the years I have worked for companies that have different standards about gifts received from vendors and business partners. Some…
A week ago, a photograph went viral which showed a nypd officer’s act of kindness. Like many people I was touched by the officer’s act, as well as the response of many people to the picture that had been taken. Since the picture was taken a more detailed story came out, indicating that the shoeless man’s story…
… with a focus on the mid-peninsula. There are a number of general websites which cover the bay area including Yahoo Bay Area, SFGate (Chronicle & Examiner), San Jose Mercury News, CitySearch SF, Yelp and Craigslist. This post is mostly about living in the SF bay area. I have a separate post about visiting Northern California as a tourist. Mid Peninsula Neighborhoods: The…
For numerous years the Darwin Awards have documented the amazing stupidity of some people. I know many people who like to read these stories and laugh and cry at the sheer stupidity reported. Why do so many of us seem to like the Darwin Awards? I wonder if it lets us feel a bit smug, a bit…
The following is part of a series of posts sharing what I have learned about dating and marriage which is to complement the teaching series we are doing at Young Adult Fellowship. While this post specifically addresses dating relationships, the core principle is equally applicable to platonic friendships or relationships with coworkers. I have had…
As I mentioned in earlier postings, you shouldn’t expect to find someone who is a perfect compliment for you, someone who is perfectly mature. Why? Because both you are a work in progress. Neither of you will be fully formed and “perfect”. So it’s pointless to look at a person as they are now, and…
In my previous posts I have suggested that marriage was designed to provide companionship in the context of a committed relationship where both parties choose to unconditionally love the other. The fuel for these sorts of relationships is a bit different from our popular culture’s model for happily ever after. Don’t Settle for Romance… Conversations…