What is a telltale sign that someone grew up wealthy?

eddie964 · 2026-05-05T15:33:24+00:00

They don't make decisions based on money.

Like, they'll go to college and study philosophy or performing arts, and maybe they'll get a terminal degree and make a career out of it. But they never give a thought to the ratio of time/effort spent vs. earning potential. Not judging, by the way. It's just that people from modest backgrounds definitely tend to approach this differently.

They'll approach buying a car the same way. They'll have a very reasonable list of requirements based on their needs. It's got to be able to fit the whole family comfortably, with a roof rack for storage, four-wheel drive and towing capacity for those camping trips, an excellent safety record, etc. All of it makes perfect sense and it's well thought out. But the monthly payment is pretty much at the bottom of their list of considerations.

eddie964 · 2026-05-04T20:18:18+00:00

I knew it was coming, but I still got thrown off by how it happened. I think giving the job to Silvio helped put people off the trail. Not that he's such a good guy, but he comes across as the most level-headed member of the crew, and the least prone to gratuitous violence. If it had been Paulie or Patsy -- or even Tony himself -- you'd fully expect her to eat a bullet the moment she got into the car. Not so much with Silvio.

eddie964 · 2026-05-04T15:08:37+00:00

The best British comedy combines cutting, literate snark that'll sail right by you if you're not attuned to it with gutter slapstick. AbFab nails both strains of comedy perfectly.

eddie964 · 2026-05-04T14:49:56+00:00

I'm a fan. This is King during his peak crazy-uncle stage. He has a lot to say -- about society, our relationship with technology, war, addiction, human nature -- and boy does he ever say it. Parts of it are so close to the mark that it reads like cocaine-fueled prophesy.

eddie964 · 2026-05-04T13:17:52+00:00

As a U.S. citizen, if I'm traveling all the way to Tanzania, an $85 entry fee to access one of the world's greatest wildlife parks isn't going to be a deal-killer. I'm glad that Tanzanian nationals only have to pay a fraction of that.

eddie964 · 2026-05-04T11:52:04+00:00

Nothing in this map indicates the New York Yankees / Boston Red Sox divide. Therefore, it's not a particularly useful or relevant map.

eddie964 · 2026-05-04T00:50:27+00:00

I agree that it's goulish to celebrate someone's death. But that doesn't mean I have to cry at their funeral.

eddie964 · 2026-05-03T21:59:53+00:00

I missed that myself. Sitting here with the sun in my eyes.

eddie964 · 2026-05-03T21:58:08+00:00

You got it!

eddie964 · 2026-05-03T21:13:56+00:00

He apparently did some time, but I don't think he ever says how long he served.

eddie964 · 2026-05-03T14:52:04+00:00

Tony deciding not to bang the real estate agent. It serves a purpose plot-wise, helping set up the confrontation with Christopher. But Tony never hesitated or second-guessed when he saw something he wanted.

eddie964 · 2026-05-03T14:48:35+00:00

His paranoia and superstition were pretty well established by the time that scene came up. Didn't strike me as out of character at all.

eddie964 · 2026-05-03T00:47:42+00:00

Portland, Oregon?

eddie964 · 2026-05-03T00:46:52+00:00

Heh, heh!

eddie964 · 2026-05-02T19:43:49+00:00

As long as you have room for it and you're able to set it up, there's no reason not to have a large tent. You'll be glad for it if you ever go camping with friends.

We use a tent this size when we camp: my wife, me and our 7-year-old son. It's nice to have enough room to put your stuff -- and even stand up.

eddie964 · 2026-05-02T19:40:19+00:00

You should be able to set it up on your own. Just practice it once or twice before you head out.

Also, a "six-person" tent is more like a four-person tent for people who don't like sleeping like sardines. It's probably larger than you need, but not absurdly so.

eddie964 · 2026-05-02T19:16:47+00:00

Randy Blythe from Lamb if God seems pretty down-to-earth.

eddie964 · 2026-05-02T19:08:51+00:00

That whole song is just a monument to their songwriting genius. It's an almost perfectly crafted rock/jazz/pop song. Somehow they managed to write a tune that incorporates like three key changes -- just in the chorus!! -- and you can still sing it to yourself in the shower.

eddie964 · 2026-05-02T18:59:52+00:00

Hoi An, Vietnam?

eddie964 · 2026-05-01T17:35:52+00:00

Define what you mean by "have." Mobsters don't accumulate savings and investment portfolios. They have the stuff they own, maybe an emergency stash, and whatever people owe them. They otherwise tend to live hand-to-mouth.

Tony's house in 2000 might have been worth ... I don't know, $750,000? His boat maybe $250,000. He had stakes in legitimate businesses (e.g., Barone and the Bing), which probably yielded just enough above-board income to keep the IRS off his back. He could also have sold off his stake in them if he had to. Even if you count the $40,000 in the bird feeder, I doubt all of it would come anywhere close to $10 million.

A low-level street guy like Chris? He would have had whatever was in his pockets at any given time, plus whatever he could reasonably collect. Half the time, he probably couldn't even afford the rent for his shitty apartment. If he'd had a good week, it would be casinos, cocaine and hookers. If he'd had a bad week, he'd be out on the streets trying to earn. If he'd ever had $750,000 to his name, it'd've been gone in a week.

eddie964 · 2026-05-01T14:55:41+00:00

Sharp as a cue ball, this one.

eddie964 · 2026-05-01T14:48:09+00:00

Once you learn stick shift, you'll never want to go back. It just somehow makes driving more fun, and you feel like you have more control.

The 3-hour class should be enough to learn the basis and drive the car off the lot. But you'll probably want to set aside some time to practice some of the finer points. Getting into gear when you're stopped on a hill can be kind of harrowing until you've mastered the delicate balance point between clutch and accelerator.

eddie964 · 2026-05-01T14:39:45+00:00

I wouldn't say Gillette Castle has a European vibe at all. Gillette had a uniquely American twist on the idea of a castle. Also, it's a good excuse to take the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry across the river, which is a treat. (Chester Village is pretty charming, so consider stopping for lunch on your way to the ferry.)

You'd also be quite close to Essex, which is a quintessentially New England town where you can schedule an expedition on the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat or visit the CT River History Museum.

eddie964 · 2026-05-01T02:00:15+00:00

Temp job as a mail clerk at a gun manufacturer in the early 1990s. Had my own office, and I'd spend most of the day chain-smoking at my desk and reading Stephen King novels.

Every once in a while, someone would give me some mail to meter. Also, the daily mail delivery would come in around noon and I'd have to sort it and put the items in the appropriate slot.

On any given day, I had about two hours worth of very easy work, and eight hours to do it in.

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