"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

[Jolipapa]

In another thread Prester John wrote of his love of E. Poe's novels. I share this interest and supect we are particularly spoiled because Baudelaire, no less, was responsible of the translation (and introduction to French public as well).

 

[r redden]

I know my posting here has been a bit sporadic of late but I took advantage of the free month of Ancestry.com and it's absolutely addictive. I've ordered the DNA kit should be here today. Have any of you ever taken the DNA test I'd be curious as to what you thought of it.
So in my absence I leave a random knife picture with you.

 

[5K Qs]

Snow is much more reasonable in Green Bay than it was where I grew up... this was the last time I shoveled off my parents house roof in the U.P. of Michigan That's a normal sized snow shovel

View attachment 1035302 View attachment 1035303 View attachment 1035304

I'm glad I don't have to do that to my roof in SW Michigan, Kevin! I just pulled up a photo of my house and pulled out a protractor, and the steepest parts of the roof (where dormers are not sticking out) have almost 60˚ pitch. I wouldn't want to be crawling around up there with a shovel! I do have a flat roof on the "back porch" that's the rear entrance, and I've shoveled that occasionally. Last year:

Kevin, I was going to say fond memories but that wouldn't be right but about 8/9 years ago when I still did handyman work, I had 4 guy's working with me and my eldest son, one year we did 124 roofs, shovel them off, then sometimes walk down, then shovel and snowblow the fallen snow clearing driveways and sidewalks. The following year we did EXACTLY 124 roofs. Some of the hardest, yet strangely enjoyable work I've done. Dropped 20lbs that Winter. At the end of the day, under all the layers, I was soakin wet

Sounds like a LOT of roof shoveling, Paul. That's an average of 1 roof per day EVERY day for 4 months! (Or over 2 roofs per day for January and February.)

I know my posting here has been a bit sporadic of late but I took advantage of the free month of Ancestry.com and it's absolutely addictive. I've ordered the DNA kit should be here today. Have any of you ever taken the DNA test I'd be curious as to what you thought of it.
So in my absence I leave a random knife picture with you.

Your stag lambsfoot is a looker, Randy! I've never done DNA nor have I checked out Ancestry.com, but when our daughter was in 5th grade, I helped her work on a little family tree project for school and got kind of interested in it. When I had some time the following summer, I did quite a bit of internet research and traced my Dad's "paternal branch" (all with my last name) all the way back to 1740. As you said, it's kind of addictive!

- GT

 

[jc57]

Have any of you ever taken the DNA test I'd be curious as to what you thought of it.

I did the one for 23andme. I sent in the spit sample and waiting for them to finish processing the results. They say it will be ready sometime in late December or the first week in January. I bought a kit for my wife too but she hasn't done it yet. They had a half-price deal going for a while, $50 per test. It may still be running.

I'm not looking for my ancestry information per se. I know where my people come from - British isles and French Huguenots. I did it for the genetic data that can be used to understand health risks. You can take the basic data that they give you and upload it to other sites that can give you health analysis information.

 

[r redden]

Your stag lambsfoot is a looker, Randy!

Thank you Gary both of those knives were gifts from our buddy Jack Black .

They had a half-price deal going for a while, $50 per test.

That's what lured me into this whole thing John a $59.95 holiday special.

 

[Prester John]

I know my posting here has been a bit sporadic of late but I took advantage of the free month of Ancestry.com and it's absolutely addictive. I've ordered the DNA kit should be here today. Have any of you ever taken the DNA test I'd be curious as to what you thought of it.
So in my absence I leave a random knife picture with you.

Gorgeous cutlery, Randy.

My wife and I took the Ancestry.com DNA test recently. Results indicated 15 different areas of origin for me. Approximately 78% European (mostly Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Scotland), 20% American Indian, and 2% North African. A little of everything, including European Jewish, Basque, Sardinia, Italy, France, Baltic States, Greece, etc. My wife was disappointed in the "lack of diversity" in hers: 80% "England, Wales, and Northwestern Europe" and 20% "Ireland and Scotland."
It's interesting. Just an estimate, I guess, but it was fun. We're all related, anyway!

 

[Wurrwulf]

My mother bought a kit for my brother and I for Father's Day 2017, and, being the awful children we are ( ), we still haven't done the tests. My mother did her test and did some tracking on the website, and a distant relative on my father's side tracked the family history all the way back to France. Admittedly, I'm very interested in seeing the results, but since the kit is never in my face, I never think about it.

 

[leghog]

My mother bought a kit for my brother and I for Father's Day 2017, and, being the awful children we are ( ), we still haven't done the tests. My mother did her test and did some tracking on the website, and a distant relative on my father's side tracked the family history all the way back to France. Admittedly, I'm very interested in seeing the results, but since the kit is never in my face, I never think about it.

If your DNA is not already on file somewhere, I'd not give it to a third party. I still haven't submitted a sample from the DNA kit I received last Christmas. My DNA is on file with the fed government. I'm not willing to send it to a private party --- no assurances about what that party will do with the results in the future.

 

[Prester John]

If your DNA is not already on file somewhere, I'd not give it to a third party. I still haven't submitted a sample from the DNA kit I received last Christmas. My DNA is on file with the fed government. I'm not willing to send it to a private party --- no assurances about what that party will do with the results in the future.

Good point. I am a little paranoid about Big Brother. Not much privacy anywhere anymore.

 

[veitsi_poika]

If your DNA is not already on file somewhere, I'd not give it to a third party.

I agree with this statement I do not need some hacker getting my DNA info from these sites and uploading it to the FBI marking me as a serial criminal. I'm a serial cereal eater and that's the worst of it

 

[jc57]

The main concern would be something like insurance companies (or government healthcare like Medicaid/Medicare) getting access to the information and using it to deny coverage, increase rates, or limit services in some way. Or if an employer could use information to screen out applicants because they have a "genetic disposition" towards some undesirable trait or behavior, whether or not an individual actually expressed that trait.

That's the slippery slope. It's OK for you to know what cards you are holding in your hand, but if the other players at the poker table get to see your hand, good luck winning.

Suppose you have a higher than normal risk of diabetes due to genetic markers (and not just the old-fashioned way, of looking at family history). Well that's good to know, you can take steps to eat differently, exercise more, or get on medications early that may help. But suppose the insurance company sees this, and decides that you MUST change how you eat, or exercise, or what medicines you are taking, or else they will not cover you, because you aren't "doing your part." Maybe those changes would be good for you, but I sure don't want the choice taken out of my hands.

 

[Ramrodmb]

Now, where did my tin-foil hat go!!?!~? They are trying to read my mind, again!

 

[Prester John]

Now, where did my tin-foil hat go!!?!~? They are trying to read my mind, again!

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.

 

[Jack Black]

I know my posting here has been a bit sporadic of late but I took advantage of the free month of Ancestry.com and it's absolutely addictive. I've ordered the DNA kit should be here today. Have any of you ever taken the DNA test I'd be curious as to what you thought of it.
So in my absence I leave a random knife picture with you.

I haven't, but I'd say there's a good chance you're descended from Charlemagne Randy Nice pic my friend

https://www.theguardian.com/science...-genetic-ancestry-charlemagne-adam-rutherford

If your DNA is not already on file somewhere, I'd not give it to a third party. I still haven't submitted a sample from the DNA kit I received last Christmas. My DNA is on file with the fed government. I'm not willing to send it to a private party --- no assurances about what that party will do with the results in the future.

They might try to clone you Leghog!

 

[Fodderwing]

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me

 

[screened porch]

Gorgeous cutlery, Randy.

My wife and I took the Ancestry.com DNA test recently. Results indicated 15 different areas of origin for me. Approximately 78% European (mostly Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Scotland), 20% American Indian, and 2% North African. A little of everything, including European Jewish, Basque, Sardinia, Italy, France, Baltic States, Greece, etc. My wife was disappointed in the "lack of diversity" in hers: 80% "England, Wales, and Northwestern Europe" and 20% "Ireland and Scotland."
It's interesting. Just an estimate, I guess, but it was fun. We're all related, anyway!

What's wrong with England and especially Wales? (No offence to my English brethren). Harlech, cyfod dy faneri!

But yes, we're all human. And "when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"

 

[Old Engineer]

I know my posting here has been a bit sporadic of late but I took advantage of the free month of Ancestry.com and it's absolutely addictive. I've ordered the DNA kit should be here today. Have any of you ever taken the DNA test I'd be curious as to what you thought of it.
So in my absence I leave a random knife picture with you.

I too became addicted to Ancestry.com when I started tracking my ancestral trails . For a period of about 4 years after I retired , I was investigating about 6 hours per day every day that I could not be outside .. I did the DNA test about 2 years ago and really found no surprises but I am pretty confident with the investigations that I did to find my ancestors . I would recommend that most people do what they can to allow there kids to know who their ancestors are . I still belong to Ancestry.com because there is new info all the time .

Harry

 

[JohnDF]

I'm glad I don't have to do that to my roof in SW Michigan, Kevin! I just pulled up a photo of my house and pulled out a protractor, and the steepest parts of the roof (where dormers are not sticking out) have almost 60˚ pitch. I wouldn't want to be crawling around up there with a shovel! I do have a flat roof on the "back porch" that's the rear entrance, and I've shoveled that occasionally. Last year:
View attachment 1036390


Sounds like a LOT of roof shoveling, Paul. That's an average of 1 roof per day EVERY day for 4 months! (Or over 2 roofs per day for January and February.)


Your stag lambsfoot is a looker, Randy! I've never done DNA nor have I checked out Ancestry.com, but when our daughter was in 5th grade, I helped her work on a little family tree project for school and got kind of interested in it. When I had some time the following summer, I did quite a bit of internet research and traced my Dad's "paternal branch" (all with my last name) all the way back to 1740. As you said, it's kind of addictive!

- GT

Nice looking house GT.

 

[5K Qs]

Nice looking house GT.

Thanks, John. We've lived in that house since February of 1985, and I'm quite fond of it; the only house I've ever owned. My wife (fiancé at the time) came to visit me over Thanksgiving of 1984 (I was in the first semester at my new job and living in an apartment) and we looked at half a dozen houses. When we looked at the one we ended up buying, before we even went inside, she said, "I want this one!" And so here we are. At some point, we started a little remodeling project, and it has never ended!
I'd bet that compared to CA, one can get a heck of a lot of house for a given amount of money in my town. Back in '85, that house cost me 40K (although interest rates were INSANE at that time).

- GT

 

[JohnDF]

Thanks, John. We've lived in that house since February of 1985, and I'm quite fond of it; the only house I've ever owned. My wife (fiancé at the time) came to visit me over Thanksgiving of 1984 (I was in the first semester at my new job and living in an apartment) and we looked at half a dozen houses. When we looked at the one we ended up buying, before we even went inside, she said, "I want this one!" And so here we are. At some point, we started a little remodeling project, and it has never ended!
I'd bet that compared to CA, one can get a heck of a lot of house for a given amount of money in my town. Back in '85, that house cost me 40K (although interest rates were INSANE at that time).

- GT

Ya, my house is only about 1500 sq ft and it cost me about 10X your house. I'm sure @waverave can easily top that in the area he lives in. The nice part is that it's an investment towards retirement when we move out of this state.