tomburkulosis

tomburkulosis: Over 59 million people voted for Donald Trump. I don’t know a single one of them—or,...

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 11:18:56 -0800

Over 59 million people voted for Donald Trump. I don’t know a single one of them—or, at least, I didn’t speak to anyone who was willing to admit it beforehand.

I’d be willing to bet—despite my eroded confidence in my own gambling abilities—that many of my college-educated, city-dwelling friends are in the same boat.

This is a bad thing. How are we supposed to change anyone’s mind if we never expose ourselves to alternative viewpoints in the first place?

I’ve lived in “red” states. I grew up in Kansas City. I’m sure there are people that used to be my friends who voted for Donald Trump. I purposely culled those people from my Facebook years ago because I thought they were obnoxious.

Could I have made a difference if I’d been more thoughtful, respectful, caring, tolerant, patient? Maybe, maybe not. But I certainly didn’t change any minds by isolating myself. Just like global isolationism isn’t the answer, neither is isolation from our fellow Americans.

We really are all in this together. Because let’s be honest, the people that are disappointed in the Trump win aren’t going to leave the country en masse or secede into the People’s Republic of California. And at the same time, those jobs that the predominantly white, rural middle class seems so anxious about nowadays—those jobs where you could raise a family and earn a pension without much in terms of skills or education—are absolutely, unequivocally, never coming back to America.

The knowledge and service economies are the path forward and the old manufacturing hubs aren’t built to be on that path.

And here’s a really ugly truth: liberal values like diversity and tolerance take a backseat if you can’t put food on your table. So if someone comes along promising to make it easier to do that, it’s probably pretty easy to overlook his sexism, racism, bigotry, and xenophobia.

So what’s the answer? Well, I don’t know. I suppose it’s worth noting that I thought Trump’s victory speech last night was surprisingly gracious—maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt? At the very least, I think we can do a better job of recognizing that there are a lot of different structural disadvantages affecting a lot of different groups in America. I’m lucky (read: privileged) enough to have experienced almost none of them.

And then we can start having difficult conversations about those structural disadvantages. We can stop hiding in comfortable little bubbles, curated echo chambers on Facebook and Twitter. We owe it to ourselves.

It’s hard to imagine a path forward, I know. But we can probably start by setting aside hatred, suspicion, and name-calling—including all of the “-isms” that it would feel really good to throw around right now. The idea of the “shy” Trump voter actually gives me a little bit of hope. The reason that they were shy is because, deep down, they know that the offensive things that Trump has said and done aren’t right.

But they may have set aside their better nature in the ballot box. There’s a reason people talk about “appealing” to our better nature, though: it takes a fight. We are all base, self-interested creatures. All of us. But we can be better.

Progress happens in fits and starts. But the arrow of time only moves in one direction. Let’s try to do better going forward.

hmm

Photo

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 11:49:45 -0700

Video

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 11:47:26 -0700

Video

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 11:47:12 -0700

Hampden Estate | Overproof Single Jamaican Rum | $65Maybe...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 14:51:21 -0800

Hampden Estate | Overproof Single Jamaican Rum | $65

Maybe tomburkulosis will become a wine and spirits blog. I don’t know the first thing about fancy-talkin’ wine descriptions, but this rum is very good in a Mai Tai.

And here is the recipe that you should use for Mai Tais:

2 oz. of this rum
Juice of one lime (or about ¾ oz.)
½ oz. orange curaçao (Ferrand Dry is a great brand)
¼ oz. orgeat (Liber & Co. is a good brand that is on Amazon)
¼ oz. rich demerara syrup (2:1 ratio of demerara or turbinado sugar to water)

Shake with crushed ice and serve with the dirty ice. Garnish with a spent lime shell and fresh mint.

Meermin | Brown Suede Horsebit Loafer | $195

Sat, 22 Jun 2019 16:24:11 -0700

Meermin | Brown Suede Horsebit Loafer | $195

New Balance x J. Crew | Midnight Pack 1400 | $180

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 08:10:08 -0700

New Balance x J. Crew | Midnight Pack 1400 | $180

Wellen | Stretch Chore Coat | $128

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 21:47:34 -0700

Wellen | Stretch Chore Coat | $128

Todd Snyder + New Balance | Love 997

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 21:18:05 -0700

Todd Snyder + New Balance | Love 997

Over 59 million people voted for Donald Trump. I don’t know a single one of them—or, at least,...

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 18:00:13 -0800

Over 59 million people voted for Donald Trump. I don’t know a single one of them—or, at least, I didn’t speak to anyone who was willing to admit it beforehand.

I’d be willing to bet—despite my eroded confidence in my own gambling abilities—that many of my college-educated, city-dwelling friends are in the same boat.

This is a bad thing. How are we supposed to change anyone’s mind if we never expose ourselves to alternative viewpoints in the first place?

I’ve lived in “red” states. I grew up in Kansas City. I’m sure there are people that used to be my friends who voted for Donald Trump. I purposely culled those people from my Facebook years ago because I thought they were obnoxious.

Could I have made a difference if I’d been more thoughtful, respectful, caring, tolerant, patient? Maybe, maybe not. But I certainly didn’t change any minds by isolating myself. Just like global isolationism isn’t the answer, neither is isolation from our fellow Americans.

We really are all in this together. Because let’s be honest, the people that are disappointed in the Trump win aren’t going to leave the country en masse or secede into the People’s Republic of California. And at the same time, those jobs that the predominantly white, rural middle class seems so anxious about nowadays—those jobs where you could raise a family and earn a pension without much in terms of skills or education—are absolutely, unequivocally, never coming back to America.

The knowledge and service economies are the path forward and the old manufacturing hubs aren’t built to be on that path.

And here’s a really ugly truth: liberal values like diversity and tolerance take a backseat if you can’t put food on your table. So if someone comes along promising to make it easier to do that, it’s probably pretty easy to overlook his sexism, racism, bigotry, and xenophobia.

So what’s the answer? Well, I don’t know. I suppose it’s worth noting that I thought Trump’s victory speech last night was surprisingly gracious—maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt? At the very least, I think we can do a better job of recognizing that there are a lot of different structural disadvantages affecting a lot of different groups in America. I’m lucky (read: privileged) enough to have experienced almost none of them.

And then we can start having difficult conversations about those structural disadvantages. We can stop hiding in comfortable little bubbles, curated echo chambers on Facebook and Twitter. We owe it to ourselves.

It’s hard to imagine a path forward, I know. But we can probably start by setting aside hatred, suspicion, and name-calling—including all of the “-isms” that it would feel really good to throw around right now. The idea of the “shy” Trump voter actually gives me a little bit of hope. The reason that they were shy is because, deep down, they know that the offensive things that Trump has said and done aren’t right.

But they may have set aside their better nature in the ballot box. There’s a reason people talk about “appealing” to our better nature, though: it takes a fight. We are all base, self-interested creatures. All of us. But we can be better.

Progress happens in fits and starts. But the arrow of time only moves in one direction. Let’s try to do better going forward.

Summer 2015 Footwear

Fri, 31 Jul 2015 21:08:26 -0700

Summer 2015 Footwear

The tomburkulosis Guide to Socks

Thu, 29 May 2014 11:59:00 -0700

Just buy a dozen Uniqlo color socks in dark gray and a dozen more in navy.

This concludes the tomburkulosis Guide to Socks.

For the Record Presents Tarantino | DBA Hollywood | Through May...

Wed, 07 May 2014 10:00:19 -0700

For the Record Presents Tarantino | DBA Hollywood | Through May 18

Listen up, turkeys. This is a super fun event that you should go to. Currently playing at DBA Hollywood, there are shows Thursday through Sunday until May 18. That’s only two more weeks!

If you have even a passing knowledge of Tarantino’s catalogue, you’ll have a great time. Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill movies are the most heavily represented, but there are plenty of appearances from Reservoir Dogs, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, and Django as well.

Iconic scenes from all of the above are acted out by a supremely talented cast and interspersed with stylized, interactive song-and-dance routines. It’s overwhelming yet engrossing. Check it out before it’s too late.

Coachella Style for Men in 5 Bullet Points

Thu, 10 Apr 2014 11:08:00 -0700

Short-sleeve Hawaiian shirts
5-panel caps
Shorts (above the knee)
Comfortable, stylish sneakers (e.g., Chuck Taylors, Rod Lavers, Rivieras)
Fanny packs

Alternative Title: What I’m Wearing to Coachella 2014

Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools

Fri, 04 Apr 2014 12:02:37 -0700

Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools

The No Left Turn Rule

Fri, 04 Apr 2014 11:58:02 -0700

priceonomics:

Like Derek Zoolander, UPS drivers can’t turn left.

Read the Blog Post Here »

Photo

Sun, 30 Mar 2014 10:34:21 -0700

putthison: How Much Should You Spend on Dress Shoes? One of the...

Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:15:47 -0700

putthison:

How Much Should You Spend on Dress Shoes?

One of the questions I frequently get in my inbox is: “I’m looking to upgrade my dress shoes, and only have X to spend. Should I save up for something better, or is so-and-so brand OK?” Like with many questions we get, a lot of this depends on the person asking.

It’s worth noting, however, that in footwear (like in everything), there are serious diminishing returns after a certain point. Very roughly speaking, that point tends to be around $350 at full retail, although what’s sold at full retail can be had for less with smart shopping (eBay, factory seconds, seasonal sales, etc).

The Unfortunate Reality of Diminishing Returns

There are a number of things that go into the construction of a good shoe, but the two biggest are: the quality of the leather used and how the soles have been attached. Jesse did a great job in describing the difference between corrected grain and full grain leathers here. It’s also worth noting that even among full-grain leathers, there can be differences in quality. Additionally, most well made shoes will have their shoes attached through a Goodyear or Blake stitching process. Jesse reviewed some of these in the second episode of our video series, and you can read more about each technique here. The short of it is: with a sole that’s been stitched on, rather than glued, you can more easily resole your shoes, which means you don’t have to bin them when the bottoms wear out.

In the past, the “entry price” for good (dress) shoes tended to be around $350. These were usually from Allen Edmonds, Ralph Lauren, and Brooks Brothers, although not everything from these brands were worth buying. There were also some European names such as Herring and Loake’s 1880 line.

After this, you get marginally better constructions, but the differences become smaller and smaller (perhaps a leather insole vs. a fiberboard insole, or a sole that’s been attached by hand rather than machine, or slightly better leathers used for the uppers). Largely, as you move up from the $350 MSRP mark, you’re paying for design. A $1,250 pair of Edward Greens won’t last you 4x longer than a $350 pair from Allen Edmonds, but to many, they’re shaped and finished more handsomely.

The Emergence of a More Competitive Market

The good news is that the market has gotten a lot more competitive in the last five years, and the cost/ benefit curve has smoothed out considerably. Today, there are companies such as Beckett Simonon, John Doe, and Jack Erwin below the $200 price mark (the last of which I was particularly impressed by). Just a hair over $200 is Meermin, which I still think is one of the best values for (relatively) affordable footwear. They have a “Classic” line for about $200 (but with customs and duties, you might pay around $230) and a higher end “Linea Maestro” line for about $300 starting. And at the $350 mark, there’s more than Allen Edmonds and Loake’s 1880 these days. Paul Evans, Kent Wang, and Howard Yount are all good companies to look into.

The question of what someone should spend isn’t about what’s “good” in the footwear market, it’s about what’s “good enough” for you. For dress shoes, the only real criteria are: quality full grain leather uppers and some kind of stitched on sole. Much of the rest is about aesthetics and personal preference.

(Photo: Crockett & Jones’ Whitehall oxfords at Ben Silver)

coachella: Waiting for our friends to come over…

Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:09:35 -0700

coachella:

Waiting for our friends to come over…

Go to James Turrell at LACMA It closes on April 7. And all the...

Tue, 25 Mar 2014 08:39:13 -0700

Go to James Turrell at LACMA

It closes on April 7. And all the remaining weekend shows are sold out. So take the morning off work (“dentist appointment”) and stop by. Breathing Light (above) is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced–and you may not have another chance to anytime soon.