Unpopular opinions (non road related)

[kphoger]

If it's way too cold, you can simply put on the proper number of layers and you'll feel fine.

Disagree.

[US 89]

Regarding lightning: if it's not going to rain, and it rarely does in the Phoenix area, it's safe.

This is false. You can absolutely be struck by lightning if it's not raining. That is how most wildfires in the West start.

[webny99]

The whole back and forth comes down to this:  The one who is cold can put something on.  The one who is hot can take something off. 

The first part is true, but the second part is only true to a certain extent, which is one reason why many people (myself included) would rather be too cold than too hot.

That's only practical to a certain extent. Eventually you'll be wearing so many layers that you can't move.

That's especially true of one's fingers and toes.  If I have to wear gloves thick enough to render my fingers functionally useless, then that mindset has failed me.  Likewise, if I'm wearing two pairs of socks and my toes are still so cold they hurt.

However, with gloves that thick, are your fingers actually still cold? I would suspect not.

And if your toes are still cold with two pairs of socks, you could wear a different type of shoe that is better at keeping the cold and/or moisture out. My toes have never gotten cold while wearing work boots, for example.

Unpopular opinion:  It should be both legal and socially acceptable for people to walk around naked.

If by this you mean in public, then yes, that is unpopular. Or at least, perceived as unpopular to such an extent that even if people actually agree, they wouldn't be free to say so.

[kernals12]

The whole back and forth comes down to this:  The one who is cold can put something on.  The one who is hot can take something off. 

The first part is true, but the second part is only true to a certain extent, which is one reason why many people (myself included) would rather be too cold than too hot.

That's only practical to a certain extent. Eventually you'll be wearing so many layers that you can't move.

That's especially true of one's fingers and toes.  If I have to wear gloves thick enough to render my fingers functionally useless, then that mindset has failed me.  Likewise, if I'm wearing two pairs of socks and my toes are still so cold they hurt.



Unpopular opinion:  It should be both legal and socially acceptable for people to walk around naked.

Okay, that came out of nowhere

[TheHighwayMan3561]

^ I don't think it's the nudity as much as who wants to be naked honestly. If it was Marilyn Monroe circa 1960 or the AT&T lady wanting to run around naked, people would be "hell yes!"  but because it's Chubby Hubby and senior citizen Marvin who want to be nude in public, people go "fuck no I don't want to see that, eww" .

[interstatefan990]

If it's way too cold, you can simply put on the proper number of layers and you'll feel fine.

Disagree.

For the vast majority of the world, it's rare that someone will encounter a situation where they have to wear so many layers that they will have restricted movement. Usually, an undershirt, a sweatshirt, and a nice thick coat does just fine.

Think of it this way: Normal room temperature is accepted as 70°. If it's 40 degrees hotter, it's 110°. That's very hot and there is nothing you can do to relieve yourself of the discomfort short of sitting in an air conditioned building. But if it's 40 degrees colder, it's 30°, and that's nothing too bad and if you have a decent coat and a sweatshirt like I previously said, you will feel fine and won't have restricted movement. Living in the Northeast, I've experienced this all my life (not the 110° though, more like 90).

Okay, that came out of nowhere

So did the expectation that you have to wear clothes in public.

[webny99]

Fat people like cold weather.  Skinny people like hot weather.

...
Young people like cold weather. Old people like hot weather.
Men like cold weather. Women like hot weather.

Hmm...I've always liked hot weather, I used to be skinny now I'm obese, and I'm a male.

I must be an outlier to all these "definitive" statements.

I wouldn't necessarily call them "definitive"... but with that said, you're still 1.5 for 3 if you call the weight one a draw.

[Max Rockatansky]

When the house gets to 100F plus it is a bag of unfun.  I dealt with that for about a week when my AC in Scottsdale was being fixed.  At night I just threw an air mattress on the pool and slept outside.

And I disagree, Phoenix "was"  the most livable big city until the real estate prices escalated out of control over the past twenty years.  It was one of the biggest reason I decided to leave after 13 years living there.

wut?

The western third of the United States has a large daytime to nighttime temperature variation.

I know that. But sleeping on mattress floating in a swimming pool strikes me as problematic.

Regarding lightning: if it's not going to rain, and it rarely does in the Phoenix area, it's safe. Even if it does rain unexpectedly, the rain would probably wake him up first, and it would also decrease the temperature enough.
Regarding crime: Except for theft, which won't happen since there's nothing to steal in his pocket, most crime is targeted at a specific person, not at random strangers.

I was thinking that he would fall in to the pool

My assumption was that I would wake up.  The water kept the mattress firm and it was never a problem.  Most nights it was 75-80F outside, it was dry and there wasn't any monsoons to make the air humid that week.  I camp a lot so being outside in the desert in an air mattress or sleeping bag wasn't a big deal to me.  It was substantially better than inside which would crack the high 90s coming down from the heat of the day.

Also, for what it is worth I kept that house at 88F during the day and would lower it to 85F at night.  That was about the only way not to have the AC constantly running and have a $300-$400 plus utility bill.  That's something I don't think many people consider when they look at Phoenix on the surface level when they haven't had to contend with all the ramifications of that level of summer heat.  You can acclimate but most people from other states struggle their first year as residents.

Did your neighbors notice? Also, if you paint your roof white, you'll really reduce your AC bills

I have no idea, I wouldn't cared if they did.  When the roof is 120F plus it will be an uphill battle with cooling no matter what color it is.  It was just easier to adapt my mode of comfort slightly to the environment of Phoenix than paying the literally price of trying to keep the interior of the house at 70F. 

[Max Rockatansky]

When the house gets to 100F plus it is a bag of unfun.  I dealt with that for about a week when my AC in Scottsdale was being fixed.  At night I just threw an air mattress on the pool and slept outside.

...

I was thinking that he would fall in to the pool

My assumption was that I would wake up.  The water kept the mattress firm and it was never a problem.  Most nights it was 75-80F outside, it was dry and there wasn't any monsoons to make the air humid that week.  I camp a lot so being outside in the desert in an air mattress or sleeping bag wasn't a big deal to me.  It was substantially better than inside which would crack the high 90s coming down from the heat of the day.

That sounds like fun, but personally I think I'd be too nervous of falling in and wouldn't catch a wink of sleep. I'd just relax and stargaze all night instead.

It wasn't too bad.  I lived off of Pima Road which backed up to the open desert of the Salt River Reservation.  I usually stayed out of the house while I was waiting for the AC to be fixed by going to work or in one case a day trip to hike in Sedona. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Peeing on the side of the road is more convenient than trying to find an actual restroom the majority of the time.  . 

[kphoger]

However, with gloves that thick, are your fingers actually still cold? I would suspect not.

Generally, yes, they're still cold.  But that's not the point:  I was emphasizing that it's not practical to wear gloves that thick.

And if your toes are still cold with two pairs of socks, you could wear a different type of shoe that is better at keeping the cold and/or moisture out. My toes have never gotten cold while wearing work boots, for example.

I agree that my toes are less likely to still be cold if I'm wearing my waterproof leather work boots.  But those aren't cheap compared to, say, a pair of flip-flops from Old Navy.  Work boots also don't really go with, say, a suit and tie.  I once attended a graveside service in Buffalo, MN, with temperatures below zero and snow on the ground–in suit and tie, with dress shoes on my feet.  I just dealt with the cold.

Unpopular opinion:  It should be both legal and socially acceptable for people to walk around naked.

Okay, that came out of nowhere

No it didn't.  It came out of the discussion about only being able to take off so many clothes during hot weather.

I don't think it's the nudity as much as who wants to be naked honestly. If it was Marilyn Monroe circa 1960 or the AT&T lady wanting to run around naked, people would be "hell yes!"  but because it's Chubby Hubby and senior citizen Marvin who want to be nude in public, people go "fuck no I don't want to see that, eww" .

...as we perpetuate the myth of the ideal body type and sexualize the female body...

If it's way too cold, you can simply put on the proper number of layers and you'll feel fine.

Disagree.

For the vast majority of the world, it's rare that someone will encounter a situation where they have to wear so many layers that they will have restricted movement. Usually, an undershirt, a sweatshirt, and a nice thick coat does just fine.

I disagreed with the assertion that I "feel fine" while wearing the proper number of layers in cold weather.  Usually, at least some part of my face is still exposed and cold.  If there's wind, my scarf sometimes doesn't do the job well enough, or it shifts slightly and allows the cold in.  My peripheral vision and/or hearing is impaired by wearing a stocking cap low over my brow and ears.  Et cetera.

[kernals12]

Peeing on the side of the road is more convenient than trying to find an actual restroom the majority of the time.  . 

Even more convenient are those stadium buddies 

[kernals12]

Moving on:
Retirement is a curse, not a blessing and we would all be better off if we could remain fit enough to work until we die.

[webny99]

Okay, that came out of nowhere

So did the expectation that you have to wear clothes in public.

Well, not completely out of nowhere, considering that it is a societal expectation developed over thousands of years.

[Max Rockatansky]

Moving on:
Retirement is a curse, not a blessing and we would all be better off if we could remain fit enough to work until we die.

It's only a curse for those that had so much of themselves wrapped up in what they for work that they end up losing their purpose in life when they retire.  Speaking for myself I'm hoping to retire at 55, at current moment I'm on pace to do so. There is much outside of work that I do now that would easily occupy all that time I spend at work.  I've been in a career for 20 years at this point, it doesn't define who I am.  It is (IMO) unhealthy to live to work or let work define how you live. 

[webny99]

And if your toes are still cold with two pairs of socks, you could wear a different type of shoe that is better at keeping the cold and/or moisture out. My toes have never gotten cold while wearing work boots, for example.

I agree that my toes are less likely to still be cold if I'm wearing my waterproof leather work boots.  But those aren't cheap compared to, say, a pair of flip-flops from Old Navy.  Work boots also don't really go with, say, a suit and tie.  I once attended a graveside service in Buffalo, MN, with temperatures below zero and snow on the ground–in suit and tie, with dress shoes on my feet.  I just dealt with the cold.

Flip-flops in the winter? That doesn't seem like a recipe for warm feet...

With that said, cold tends to affect your extremities first, while heat tends to affects your whole body, which is partly what makes it worse IMO. There's also the fact that your body temperature is warmer than normal room temperature, so the proper comparison for, say, -10F would be 150F. I'll take the -10F and bundle up, thank you very much.

[kernals12]

Moving on:
Retirement is a curse, not a blessing and we would all be better off if we could remain fit enough to work until we die.

It's only a curse for those that had so much of themselves wrapped up in what they for work that they end up losing their purpose in life when they retire.  Speaking for myself I'm hoping to retire at 55, at current moment I'm on pace to do so. There is much outside of work that I do now that would easily occupy all that time I spend at work.  I've been in a career for 20 years at this point, it doesn't define who I am.  It is (IMO) unhealthy to live to work or let work define how you live.

I currently am putting aside 1/5 of my income, between FICA and 401k contributions, for my retirement. That's a lot of money that I'd rather be able to spend on something else. Think of the states forever struggling with unfunded pension liabilities.

And in the future, technology should give us more than enough leisure time for travelling, playing golf, and spending time with our grandchildren.

[kphoger]

Flip-flops in the winter? That doesn't seem like a recipe for warm feet...

No, flip-flops in summer.  My point was that it's much easier and cheaper to dress your feet for hot weather than for cold weather.

Also, my wife used to wear flip-flops in the winter in Minnesota winters, exposed toes tromping through the snow.  Crazy college kids...

[kphoger]

And in the future, technology should give us more than enough leisure time for travelling, playing golf, and spending time with our grandchildren.

Yeah, I used to watch the Jetsons too.

[webny99]

Chubby Hubby

See also: https://www.benjerry.com/flavors/chubby-hubby-ice-cream/pint

[webny99]

Flip-flops in the winter? That doesn't seem like a recipe for warm feet...

No, flip-flops in summer.  My point was that it's much easier and cheaper to dress your feet for hot weather than for cold weather.

Well, of course, the less you wear, the easier and cheaper it is. Work boots and flip flops are the extremes, while the "average" shoe is somewhere in between.

[kphoger]

Work boots and flip flops are the extremes, while the "average" shoe is somewhere in between.

And they are generally comfortable in hot weather but not cold weather.

[hbelkins]

I hate the beach. I never liked going there as a kid. I hated swimming in the ocean because of all the sand. The only thing remotely enjoyable about the beach was picking up seashells. I would much rather go to the mountains than the beach.

[Max Rockatansky]

Moving on:
Retirement is a curse, not a blessing and we would all be better off if we could remain fit enough to work until we die.

It's only a curse for those that had so much of themselves wrapped up in what they for work that they end up losing their purpose in life when they retire.  Speaking for myself I'm hoping to retire at 55, at current moment I'm on pace to do so. There is much outside of work that I do now that would easily occupy all that time I spend at work.  I've been in a career for 20 years at this point, it doesn't define who I am.  It is (IMO) unhealthy to live to work or let work define how you live.

I currently am putting aside 1/5 of my income, between FICA and 401k contributions, for my retirement. That's a lot of money that I'd rather be able to spend on something else. Think of the states forever struggling with unfunded pension liabilities.

And in the future, technology should give us more than enough leisure time for travelling, playing golf, and spending time with our grandchildren.

Regarding finances I learned a lot from my Mom and Dad.  Firstly, my Mom was an accountant for General Motors and was really good at conveying/teaching how save money the correct way.   My Dad on the other hand was an excellent example of how poor money management and a lack of savings skills can bury anyone at any income level.  My Mom retired with four pensions, substantial savings and a home paid off.  My Dad conversely continued to make bad financial decisions which saw him living in poverty when he couldn't work anymore.  My Dad was the one making several fold more than my Mom, but the end result favored her decidedly better money management. 

I saved a lot of my immediate income out of high school for about maybe four/five years.   After that I was established enough in what I do to save and spend money on enjoying things in life.  Considering most of my early adult years were spent establishing my career anyways I guess it worked out because it kept me away of expensive things that I couldn't afford.  Most people I knew in high school went with the 2.3 kids, a dog and a white picket fence approach the Baby Boomers had in early adult life.  It worked out for a couple but most ended up struggling and living paycheck to paycheck for years, some still do.

I guess that I'm not of the mindset of waiting to the end of my life to attempt to enjoy it.  By the time I was thirty I had been fifty National Parks, seen all of the Continental U.S., been several countries and even became somewhat accomplished athletically.  Really considering how much I actually accomplished between 18-30 years of age I don't think it could have gone much better than it did.  It certainly wouldn't have played out that way if I married one of the girls I dated back and had a family that I couldn't afford on my income alone.  At the very least I feel as though my Wife and I are in far better position to have a family with minimal impact on our lives now given we are well established financially. 

But really I don't think any degree of technology is going to simply life to the point where people won't have to be smart with money.

[Max Rockatansky]

I hate the beach. I never liked going there as a kid. I hated swimming in the ocean because of all the sand. The only thing remotely enjoyable about the beach was picking up seashells. I would much rather go to the mountains than the beach.

I don't like beaches all that much or swimming but I do enjoy water.  I would gladly fish, have a picnic or go boating on a nice quiet lake over a hectic beach.