h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That's the first of three pairs of jeans patched. All three have worn in, shall we say, the nether regions

I haven't done any sewing for years; I'd forgotten how relaxing it is, mostly. Except when you jab the needle into your finger or you can't hold the bit you're sewing steady because of all the other material getting in the way. But when I'm done I'll have double the pairs of jeans I had this time yesterday At least, double the pairs I can wear outdoors without frightening the , making women swoon , and getting hauled off in a Black Maria

I tried to machine sew a couple of patches on my MC vest last weekend and broke yet another needle on my mother's new sewing machine (that I bought her a couple of years ago). The last time I did this I broke at least three. I believe it was just a matter of having the bobbin thread in the wrong place, but this time I was careful about that so that's it. When (if) I get back around to trying to reattach some patches, I'm pulling out her 40 year old Singer, the one I know how to use.

As to clothing supply, mine increased greatly yesterday as well. But not from any mending, darning or tatting. I got a shipment from Duluth Trading. Two pairs of jeans, three sets of boxers, two shirts and six pairs of socks. I pay a bit more for quality, but I'm certain I'm saving money in the long run. I'm curious to see how long a pair of jeans made from fire hose material will end up lasting before I need to mend or replace them. I'm also curious as to where they'll need mending as these have gusseted crotches, an area I also tend to find holes.

Maybe it's time I paid their website a more thorough and meaningful visit, given the kind of work I'm doing now

Mind you, I'm not so sure that trousers made from fire hose material would be quite the thing when you're working inside a stainless steel tank, in Texas, in August, in scorchio temperatures, with an arc welder and no a/c

They're not really much thicker than denim. They're surprisingly comfortable.

And if you're going to be crawling around on your knees, they'll last much longer. Plus the gusseted crotches make bending MUCH more comfortable, a point they stress in their catalogs and web pages. They have some denim jeans they brand as "Ballroom" jeans.

They are pretty pricey, but as you say, it's often worth paying a little more for quality. And now it's tax-deductible too

Just gunna leave this one here:

http://www.retronaut.com/2013/05/chuck-norris-action-jeans-wont-bind-your-legs/

Mr Norris' mustache alone is worth twice the price.

I really didn't even have to click that link. I think I remember those ads. Back in the day when Chuck Norris was just an action film star and not a tool of the conservative religious right.

Is he?

Yep. He's anti gay rights, he believes not only that gay marriage is wrong, he also thinks gays should be excluded from the Boy Scouts. He also has proposed that if our country keeps heading toward socialism via Obama he would run for "President of Texas" as it will lead the way by seceding. He's also stated that if Obamacare was around 2000 years ago, Mary would have aborted Jesus. I'm not making that up.

oh dear. Usually I try not to know too much about actors or personalities just in case they turn out like that. I can turn a blind eye to some idiocy but having read all that I can't enjoy Chuck Norris jokes any more.

Chuck Norris "facts" were originally Vin Diesel "facts".

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/chuck-norris-facts

I betcha neither of the pair of them could stitch a pair of jeans out of firehoses. Lightweights, both of them.

I can't bring myself to watch a Charlton Heston film any more (because of his politics... and let's face it, he was hardly a great actor anyway), nor a Tom Cruise film (just because he's a very, very silly person). I was talking to someone about this a few days ago and there was a third actor whose films I can't bring myself to watch because of their politics, but it's completely slipped my mind who that is

And every time I watch an episode of Northern Exposure I can't help remembering that Janine Turner (Maggie O'Connell) is a Tea Party supporter

Ben stein is one who I used to like, but now don't tolerate. I liked his game show, Win Ben Stein's Money because he came across as very knowledgable, so when he started spouting off against evolution and made that ridiculous film, I was a bit surprised. I knew he was politically conservative. Heck, he was a speech writer for Nixon. But until then he seemed reasonable. After that he went on my boycott list.

Tom Cruise, I've almost never liked. Even before he got famous for his off-screen nuttery, I just didn't like HIM. I've felt he has ruined films because when he's cast in a role, the character becomes him rather than he becoming the character. Anne Rice threw a fit when he was cast as Lestat in Interview With a Vampire. She wrote that role with Rutger Hauer in mind, specifically Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner. She shut up when the studio threw another $1,000,000 at her.

There have been a few exceptions. I liked him in Minority Report, but I still think it would have been better with someone else cast in the role, but I think he was perfectly cast in Vanilla Sky. The role called for a priveleged pretty boy. That's him.

I enjoyed Soylent Green and The Omega Man as good yarns, but it was always despite Charlton Heston, rather than because of him. He only really had the one expression in his repertoire - that gritted teeth grimace thing.
That basket case Mel Gibson is probably the one I can't bare to watch most of all.

Mel Gibson Which is a pity because I rather liked the Mad Max* films.

I have a fancy to see Apocalypto again. At least he's not in that one.

*Why do you suppose the Firefox spellchecker wouldn't know a word like 'Max'