Well, with the great success of "Never Surrender" high-tops (the best sneakers
ever, people come up to me with tears in their eyes and say 'Sir, I've never
seen such beautiful, high-quality sneakers!!'), I have decided to attend the
upcoming Penguicon in Ypsilanti, great Republican town, MAGA! And there I will
be selling "Trump Linux" for the amazing price of $399. And for $499 you will
also get the Libre Office suite!!! How come Obama (who I beat in 2020, bigly)
never created Linux, like I did!!!???

And don't forget about my GoFundMe page!

--
Just because the message may never be received does not mean it is
not worth sending.

On 2024-02-18, Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
> Well, with the great success of "Never Surrender" high-tops (the best sneakers
> ever, people come up to me with tears in their eyes and say 'Sir, I've never
> seen such beautiful, high-quality sneakers!!'), I have decided to attend the
> upcoming Penguicon in Ypsilanti, great Republican town, MAGA! And there I will
> be selling "Trump Linux" for the amazing price of $399. And for $499 you will
> also get the Libre Office suite!!! How come Obama (who I beat in 2020, bigly)
> never created Linux, like I did!!!???
>
> And don't forget about my GoFundMe page!

I haven't worn sneakers in at least 40 years. Ridiculously high prices for
Chinese crap. And I'm talking about Nike and Adidas and Converse and
whatever other name is printed on this crap. I still buy American made
shoes.

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

On Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 11:40:21 PM UTC-5, RonB wrote:
> On 2024-02-18, Chris Ahlstrom <OFee...@teleworm.us> wrote:
> > Well, with the great success of "Never Surrender" high-tops (the best sneakers
> > ever, people come up to me with tears in their eyes and say 'Sir, I've never
> > seen such beautiful, high-quality sneakers!!'), I have decided to attend the
> > upcoming Penguicon in Ypsilanti, great Republican town, MAGA! And there I will
> > be selling "Trump Linux" for the amazing price of $399. And for $499 you will
> > also get the Libre Office suite!!! How come Obama (who I beat in 2020, bigly)
> > never created Linux, like I did!!!???
> >
> > And don't forget about my GoFundMe page!
>
> I haven't worn sneakers in at least 40 years. Ridiculously high prices for
> Chinese crap. And I'm talking about Nike and Adidas and Converse and
> whatever other name is printed on this crap. I still buy American made
> shoes.

Oh, but these shoes are pure USA!

His company, CIC Ventures sources them from “45Footwear LLC”, who
purportedly is an ‘All American’ /s shoe manufacturer.

Of course, their “manufacturing facility” is a building in a decrepit shopping
mall in Sheridan, Wyoming. FYI, the State of Wyoming doesn’t require disclosure
of corporate ownership, which has enables a cottage industry of shady foreign
businesses … apparently, enabling money laundering is good for the tax base.

-hh

On 2024-02-18 11:40 p.m., RonB wrote:
> On 2024-02-18, Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>> Well, with the great success of "Never Surrender" high-tops (the best sneakers
>> ever, people come up to me with tears in their eyes and say 'Sir, I've never
>> seen such beautiful, high-quality sneakers!!'), I have decided to attend the
>> upcoming Penguicon in Ypsilanti, great Republican town, MAGA! And there I will
>> be selling "Trump Linux" for the amazing price of $399. And for $499 you will
>> also get the Libre Office suite!!! How come Obama (who I beat in 2020, bigly)
>> never created Linux, like I did!!!???
>>
>> And don't forget about my GoFundMe page!
>
> I haven't worn sneakers in at least 40 years. Ridiculously high prices for
> Chinese crap. And I'm talking about Nike and Adidas and Converse and
> whatever other name is printed on this crap. I still buy American made
> shoes.

Forget sneakers. One word: Sketchers. They are comfortable as heck.

--
RabidPedagog
Catholic paleoconservative

On 2024-02-19, RabidPedagog <rabid@pedag.og> wrote:
> On 2024-02-18 11:40 p.m., RonB wrote:
>> On 2024-02-18, Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>> Well, with the great success of "Never Surrender" high-tops (the best sneakers
>>> ever, people come up to me with tears in their eyes and say 'Sir, I've never
>>> seen such beautiful, high-quality sneakers!!'), I have decided to attend the
>>> upcoming Penguicon in Ypsilanti, great Republican town, MAGA! And there I will
>>> be selling "Trump Linux" for the amazing price of $399. And for $499 you will
>>> also get the Libre Office suite!!! How come Obama (who I beat in 2020, bigly)
>>> never created Linux, like I did!!!???
>>>
>>> And don't forget about my GoFundMe page!
>>
>> I haven't worn sneakers in at least 40 years. Ridiculously high prices for
>> Chinese crap. And I'm talking about Nike and Adidas and Converse and
>> whatever other name is printed on this crap. I still buy American made
>> shoes.
>
> Forget sneakers. One word: Sketchers. They are comfortable as heck.

I wear Rocky Postal Certified shoes ("postal certifed: means they have to be
made in the U.S.) Light, well built and comfortable. (For people who are
walking all day.) Next time I might buy basically the same shoes from
Thorogood, they might be made even a little better.

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

RabidPedagog wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:

> On 2024-02-18 11:40 p.m., RonB wrote:
>> On 2024-02-18, Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> wrote:
>>> Well, with the great success of "Never Surrender" high-tops (the best sneakers
>>> ever, people come up to me with tears in their eyes and say 'Sir, I've never
>>> seen such beautiful, high-quality sneakers!!'), I have decided to attend the
>>> upcoming Penguicon in Ypsilanti, great Republican town, MAGA! And there I will
>>> be selling "Trump Linux" for the amazing price of $399. And for $499 you will
>>> also get the Libre Office suite!!! How come Obama (who I beat in 2020, bigly)
>>> never created Linux, like I did!!!???
>>>
>>> And don't forget about my GoFundMe page!
>>
>> I haven't worn sneakers in at least 40 years. Ridiculously high prices for
>> Chinese crap. And I'm talking about Nike and Adidas and Converse and
>> whatever other name is printed on this crap. I still buy American made
>> shoes.
>
> Forget sneakers. One word: Sketchers. They are comfortable as heck.

I had a pair. Ripped the snot out of my heels.

--
In the first place, God made idiots; this was for practice; then he made
school boards.
-- Mark Twain

-hh wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties:

> On Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 11:40:21 PM UTC-5, RonB wrote:
>> On 2024-02-18, Chris Ahlstrom <OFee...@teleworm.us> wrote:
>> > Well, with the great success of "Never Surrender" high-tops (the best sneakers
>> > ever, people come up to me with tears in their eyes and say 'Sir, I've never
>> > seen such beautiful, high-quality sneakers!!'), I have decided to attend the
>> > upcoming Penguicon in Ypsilanti, great Republican town, MAGA! And there I will
>> > be selling "Trump Linux" for the amazing price of $399. And for $499 you will
>> > also get the Libre Office suite!!! How come Obama (who I beat in 2020, bigly)
>> > never created Linux, like I did!!!???
>> >
>> > And don't forget about my GoFundMe page!
>>
>> I haven't worn sneakers in at least 40 years. Ridiculously high prices for
>> Chinese crap. And I'm talking about Nike and Adidas and Converse and
>> whatever other name is printed on this crap. I still buy American made
>> shoes.
>
> Oh, but these shoes are pure USA!
>
> His company, CIC Ventures sources them from “45Footwear LLC”, who
> purportedly is an ‘All American’ /s shoe manufacturer.
>
> Of course, their “manufacturing facility” is a building in a decrepit shopping
> mall in Sheridan, Wyoming. FYI, the State of Wyoming doesn’t require disclosure
> of corporate ownership, which has enables a cottage industry of shady foreign
> businesses … apparently, enabling money laundering is good for the tax base.

Apparently Delaware is the business-tax haven capital of the US. That's not
good enough for Musk; he wants to reincorporate in Texas, I believe.

Here's another tax-shelter guy:

https://media1.tenor.com/m/gmTGhW7xwO0AAAAd/electric-trump.gif

--
You will triumph over your enemy.

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 01:45:16 -0800 (PST), -hh wrote:

> Of course, their “manufacturing facility” is a building in a decrepit
> shopping mall in Sheridan, Wyoming. FYI, the State of Wyoming doesn’t
> require disclosure of corporate ownership, which has enables a cottage
> industry of shady foreign businesses … apparently, enabling money
> laundering is good for the tax base.

Yeah, Wyoming has that nasty libertarian streak. I still thing the Free
State Project made the wrong choice of New Hampshire over Wyoming; I may
be prejudiced since I moved out of NH as it started going downhill.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_State_Project

If you want to talk about corporate friendly states, let's talk about
Biden's adopted home state.

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:55:52 -0500, Chris Ahlstrom wrote:

> Apparently Delaware is the business-tax haven capital of the US. That's
> not good enough for Musk; he wants to reincorporate in Texas, I believe.

When you have the Senator from MBNA on your side, what can go wrong?

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 07:49:54 -0500, RabidPedagog wrote:

> Forget sneakers. One word: Sketchers. They are comfortable as heck.

https://www.skechers.com/men/shoes/athletic-sneakers/

They look like sneakers to me and they're all made in Asia. I prefer New
Balance although you have to be very careful if you want a model made in
the USA. The clue is they're at least twice the price of the imported
models. I had the same problem with Red Wing boots; most are imported now.

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:59:12 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

> I wear Rocky Postal Certified shoes ("postal certifed: means they have
> to be made in the U.S.) Light, well built and comfortable. (For people
> who are walking all day.) Next time I might buy basically the same shoes
> from Thorogood, they might be made even a little better.

I've got a pair of Rocky boots, not sure of the model. They have a very
aggressive tread and in the winter I add microspikes. The trails around
here tend to be packed and icy although this year you can throw mud in the
mix since there hasn't been much snow.

On 2024-02-19 12:43 p.m., rbowman wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 07:49:54 -0500, RabidPedagog wrote:
>
>> Forget sneakers. One word: Sketchers. They are comfortable as heck.
>
> https://www.skechers.com/men/shoes/athletic-sneakers/
>
> They look like sneakers to me and they're all made in Asia. I prefer New
> Balance although you have to be very careful if you want a model made in
> the USA. The clue is they're at least twice the price of the imported
> models. I had the same problem with Red Wing boots; most are imported now.

Everything is made in Asia because that's where the low wages are. If
this stuff was made in the United States, a pair of shoes would like
cost $500 for even the cheapest stuff... or so they want us to believe.
I recall Purism giving me the option to get the default LibreM 5 or the
same thing made in the USA. The default was $700 or so whereas the exact
same unit was $2k if it were built in the United States.

I can only imagine how much the computers we use would cost if they
weren't built in Asia.

--
RabidPedagog
Catholic paleoconservative

Relf wrote:
> Re: [ all shoes are ] made in Asia
>
> My HiSea SlipOns are designed in the US; made in the Caribbean & Southeast Asia;
> have a "gym shoe" fit & feel. Amazon.COM/shitforbrains
>

spamming fuckwit

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:54:41 -0500, RabidPedagog wrote:

> Everything is made in Asia because that's where the low wages are. If
> this stuff was made in the United States, a pair of shoes would like
> cost $500 for even the cheapest stuff... or so they want us to believe.

For the New Balance example, the Made in USA, 966 I think, is $150 for a
discontinued style, $200 for the current model. The visually identical 877
import is about $80.

I once made the mistake of buying a cheap pair from KMart. They looked
like most sneakers but the breathable mesh was really solid vinyl. I used
to wear Hermans Survivors but Walmart bought the brand and turned into
cheap crap. I am curious after going to all the work to make something
that looks like a pair of shoes how much more it would cost to make
something that is functional.

On 2024-02-19 2:00 p.m., Relf wrote:
> Re: [ all shoes are ] made in Asia
>
> My HiSea SlipOns are designed in the US; made in the Caribbean & Southeast Asia;
> have a "gym shoe" fit & feel. Amazon.COM/s?k=HiSea

I always figured you wore Kleenex boxes. I learned something today.

--
RabidPedagog
Catholic paleoconservative

On 2024-02-19 4:18 p.m., rbowman wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:54:41 -0500, RabidPedagog wrote:
>
>> Everything is made in Asia because that's where the low wages are. If
>> this stuff was made in the United States, a pair of shoes would like
>> cost $500 for even the cheapest stuff... or so they want us to believe.
>
> For the New Balance example, the Made in USA, 966 I think, is $150 for a
> discontinued style, $200 for the current model. The visually identical 877
> import is about $80.
>
> I once made the mistake of buying a cheap pair from KMart. They looked
> like most sneakers but the breathable mesh was really solid vinyl. I used
> to wear Hermans Survivors but Walmart bought the brand and turned into
> cheap crap. I am curious after going to all the work to make something
> that looks like a pair of shoes how much more it would cost to make
> something that is functional.

All I know for sure is that if it isn't those Sketchers comfort fit,
they better at least be Pumas. I've had a lot of luck with that brand.
Anything else, for my fairly sensitive feet, just won't do.

--
RabidPedagog
Catholic paleoconservative

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 11:00:53 -0800 (Seattle), Relf wrote:

> My HiSea SlipOns are designed in the US; made in the Caribbean &
> Southeast Asia;
> have a "gym shoe" fit & feel. Amazon.COM/s?k=HiSea

Ah, 'designed in the US'... I bought a cheap microwave that came with a
set of knives marked 'designed in Germany' on one side and 'Made in China'
on the other. Truth is they weren't all that bad, but then my daily driver
is a Old Hickory chef's knife. I've got a Henkels around here someplace
and it isn't worth five times as much.

On 2024-02-19, RabidPedagog <rabid@pedag.og> wrote:
> On 2024-02-19 12:43 p.m., rbowman wrote:
>> On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 07:49:54 -0500, RabidPedagog wrote:
>>
>>> Forget sneakers. One word: Sketchers. They are comfortable as heck.
>>
>> https://www.skechers.com/men/shoes/athletic-sneakers/
>>
>> They look like sneakers to me and they're all made in Asia. I prefer New
>> Balance although you have to be very careful if you want a model made in
>> the USA. The clue is they're at least twice the price of the imported
>> models. I had the same problem with Red Wing boots; most are imported now.
>
> Everything is made in Asia because that's where the low wages are. If
> this stuff was made in the United States, a pair of shoes would like
> cost $500 for even the cheapest stuff... or so they want us to believe.
> I recall Purism giving me the option to get the default LibreM 5 or the
> same thing made in the USA. The default was $700 or so whereas the exact
> same unit was $2k if it were built in the United States.
>
> I can only imagine how much the computers we use would cost if they
> weren't built in Asia.

My U.S. made Rocky shoes cost about $120 now (they were about $90 to $100
the last time I bought them) but they last me about three years. And they're
comfortable.

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

On 2024-02-19, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:54:41 -0500, RabidPedagog wrote:
>
>> Everything is made in Asia because that's where the low wages are. If
>> this stuff was made in the United States, a pair of shoes would like
>> cost $500 for even the cheapest stuff... or so they want us to believe.
>
> For the New Balance example, the Made in USA, 966 I think, is $150 for a
> discontinued style, $200 for the current model. The visually identical 877
> import is about $80.
>
> I once made the mistake of buying a cheap pair from KMart. They looked
> like most sneakers but the breathable mesh was really solid vinyl. I used
> to wear Hermans Survivors but Walmart bought the brand and turned into
> cheap crap. I am curious after going to all the work to make something
> that looks like a pair of shoes how much more it would cost to make
> something that is functional.

I remember when K-Mart sold Texas Steer boots and shoes. Real leather and
cheap. Not the highest quality but not bad. When I was a kid my dad bought
us Kinney shoes, glove leather lining — really nice and comfortable quality.
If they made something like them now it *would* probably cost $500.

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

On 2024-02-19, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:59:12 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:
>
>> I wear Rocky Postal Certified shoes ("postal certifed: means they have
>> to be made in the U.S.) Light, well built and comfortable. (For people
>> who are walking all day.) Next time I might buy basically the same shoes
>> from Thorogood, they might be made even a little better.
>
> I've got a pair of Rocky boots, not sure of the model. They have a very
> aggressive tread and in the winter I add microspikes. The trails around
> here tend to be packed and icy although this year you can throw mud in the
> mix since there hasn't been much snow.

Mine are just Oxford shoes, but they make a model like it that goes up the
ankle — lace up "boots". Not like a high lace-up boot though. They come with
their copy of Vibram soles which has a good grip. Thorogood actually uses
Vibram on theirs. I don't see anything wrong with the Rocky copy, though.

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:46:59 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

> Mine are just Oxford shoes, but they make a model like it that goes up
> the ankle — lace up "boots". Not like a high lace-up boot though. They
> come with their copy of Vibram soles which has a good grip. Thorogood
> actually uses Vibram on theirs. I don't see anything wrong with the
> Rocky copy, though.

They're out in the car but I think they are 6", maybe 8". They're a little
taller than my Danner Mountain 600s but Danner calls those 4 1/2". Limmer
gives a height from welt of 4.5 and a height from floor of 6". The Limmers
are my kick a grizzly to death boots but the 4 1/2 pounds gets a little
old. I save them for rough off-trail work.

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:36:20 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

> My U.S. made Rocky shoes cost about $120 now (they were about $90 to
> $100 the last time I bought them) but they last me about three years.
> And they're comfortable.

iirc mine were $90 but it was a LA police Gear closeout sale.

https://lapolicegear.com/rocky-2167-alphaforce-waterproof-boot.html

Okay, 6". fwiw I'm very happy with the LAPG branded cargo pants. There
are several styles but I prefer the one with two 'slip' pockets in the
front, folder on the left, cellphone on the right.

https://lapolicegear.com/basic-operator-pant-elastic.html

I'm not a fan of the blousing strings but they're a hell of a lot better
than blousing garters.

amazon.com/Fox-Outdoor-Products-Blousing-Garters/dp/B0054L6SQU

I'm surprised they're still around. They suck.

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:41:48 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

> I remember when K-Mart sold Texas Steer boots and shoes. Real leather
> and cheap. Not the highest quality but not bad. When I was a kid my dad
> bought us Kinney shoes, glove leather lining — really nice and
> comfortable quality.
> If they made something like them now it *would* probably cost $500.

Carolina still has some boots in their Domestic collection. Most of them
are steel toes and I have painful memories of a pair of steel toes. I
haven't dropped anything of my feet in a while.

White's over in Spokane are USA made but you're looking at $350 -$700.
They have expanded their line. I went over years ago but they were mostly
loggers and he said I wouldn't be happy with them as hiking boots.

On 2024-02-20, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:41:48 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:
>
>> I remember when K-Mart sold Texas Steer boots and shoes. Real leather
>> and cheap. Not the highest quality but not bad. When I was a kid my dad
>> bought us Kinney shoes, glove leather lining — really nice and
>> comfortable quality.
>> If they made something like them now it *would* probably cost $500.
>
> Carolina still has some boots in their Domestic collection. Most of them
> are steel toes and I have painful memories of a pair of steel toes. I
> haven't dropped anything of my feet in a while.

They make steel-toed versions of the shoes I buy as well, but I avoid them
like the plague. I was wrong about the Thorogood version of my shoes using
Vibram soles. It's actually a company Thorogood bought, Weinbrenner, that
used the Vibram soles on their version of the postal shoes. What's left of
them sell on Thorogood's site, but they're still Weinbrenner shoes.

> White's over in Spokane are USA made but you're looking at $350 -$700.
> They have expanded their line. I went over years ago but they were mostly
> loggers and he said I wouldn't be happy with them as hiking boots.

Never hear of White shoes. Have heard of Danner, however. My brother used to
buy Danner boots. I think he got surprised by the last pair he bought that
weren't made in the U.S. — or maybe he barely buying them. Something like
that.

--
[Self-centered, Woke] "pride is a life of self-destructive fakery, an
entrapment to a false and self-created matrix of twisted unreality."
"It was pride that changed angels into devils..." — St. Augustine

On Tue, 20 Feb 2024 13:29:19 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

> Never hear of White shoes. Have heard of Danner, however. My brother
> used to buy Danner boots. I think he got surprised by the last pair he
> bought that weren't made in the U.S. — or maybe he barely buying them.
> Something like that.

https://whitesboots.com/our-legacy/

I don't know how much exposure they have outside of the PNW. When I was
with the Forest Service it was a right of passage when a fire crew member
or smokejumper got a pair of White's and hobbled around for a few weeks.
They were never described as comfortable out of the box. That's why they
discouraged me from buying them for hiking. They've added a few models
that would work better.

Back when I was in the Rensselaer Outing Club Limmers had a similar
cachet. A pilgrimage to NH to the store, Peter Limmer measuring your feet,
and a length wait produced a pair, which also required an extensive
breaking in.

Much later, in 2004, I finally made it to the shrine. I'd been hiking in
the Whites for several days and they were hesitant to measure my feet
since they may have been slightly swollen. The wait at the time was 4 or 5
years. I opted for one of their off the shelf models, tracing my feet as
directed, and placing my order. The non-custom models are made in Germany
but are still very heavy and take weeks to break in.

I was disappointed while hiking in AZ. It was spring and not deathly hot
but the sun on the black volcanic rock prevalent in the area heated it up.
The soles were glued on and the glue melted. Using duct tape and
eventually ShoeGoo to repair an expensive pair of boots didn't set well.
The lining in the heel box also wire through. Sometimes when you finally
get your status symbol it isn't all you dreamed.

Despite being an import I'm happy with the Danners comfort and durability.
I've been through an assortment of boots over the years. Vasque Sundowners
didn't work for me and I was happy when they wore out. There was something
about the geometry. They moved manufacturing from Italy to China and
reports are the quality suffered. The Merrell toe box didn't work to the
point that I once opted to take the boots off and walk on a rocky trail in
my bare feet. There was a box at a local store for clothing donations
after the 2004 tsunami that I dropped them in. Maybe they forked better
for some big-footed Asian.