Claire the Perfectly Cromulent
@clairecontraire.bsky.social
Economist and data scientist on hiatus. NRW, Germany; formerly WA, US. I think about the Holy Roman Empire almost every day. Errors may not be spherical. Views are my own.
She/her/they/them
She/her/they/them
Mein Beileid.
November 30, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Mein Beileid.
Ist der Geist des Tollen Bombergs noch zugange?
November 30, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Ist der Geist des Tollen Bombergs noch zugange?
That is amazing.
November 30, 2025 at 6:27 PM
That is amazing.
I come from a family where we all do this while holding a coffee in the other hand.
November 30, 2025 at 9:45 AM
I come from a family where we all do this while holding a coffee in the other hand.
From the old internet I miss the ability to look stuff up, find an expert on a particular topic, and do a deep dive based on trusted sources.
Early Facebook was also a good way to keep up on friends' cat photos and which second cousins had just had babies.
Early Facebook was also a good way to keep up on friends' cat photos and which second cousins had just had babies.
November 30, 2025 at 9:39 AM
From the old internet I miss the ability to look stuff up, find an expert on a particular topic, and do a deep dive based on trusted sources.
Early Facebook was also a good way to keep up on friends' cat photos and which second cousins had just had babies.
Early Facebook was also a good way to keep up on friends' cat photos and which second cousins had just had babies.
What I do miss is having some pockets of functioning, sane media and internet, though even there we look back at the 90s and 00s with rose-tinted glasses. The media did not do themselves credit with Whitewater, WMDs, Swift Boats, and reality TV stars in general.
November 30, 2025 at 9:36 AM
What I do miss is having some pockets of functioning, sane media and internet, though even there we look back at the 90s and 00s with rose-tinted glasses. The media did not do themselves credit with Whitewater, WMDs, Swift Boats, and reality TV stars in general.
What I find weird is that a lot of the nostalgia is coming from my people, the Xers, who really should know better. I mean leaded gas, ashtrays at McDonald's, the cold war, AIDS, high murder rates, not one but two George Bushes, Ace Ventura, land lines, dial-up internet, most grunge.
November 30, 2025 at 9:23 AM
What I find weird is that a lot of the nostalgia is coming from my people, the Xers, who really should know better. I mean leaded gas, ashtrays at McDonald's, the cold war, AIDS, high murder rates, not one but two George Bushes, Ace Ventura, land lines, dial-up internet, most grunge.
There is a whole incentive structure for grade inflation: the A-G requirements.
Back in 2007, UCSD itself pushed out the principal of their in-house charter school over the school having changed grades retrospectively to comply with these requirements.
Back in 2007, UCSD itself pushed out the principal of their in-house charter school over the school having changed grades retrospectively to comply with these requirements.
November 30, 2025 at 7:38 AM
There is a whole incentive structure for grade inflation: the A-G requirements.
Back in 2007, UCSD itself pushed out the principal of their in-house charter school over the school having changed grades retrospectively to comply with these requirements.
Back in 2007, UCSD itself pushed out the principal of their in-house charter school over the school having changed grades retrospectively to comply with these requirements.
Don't forget the restaurants that I ate at once while on a road trip 15 years ago, and which I still remember for their mediocrity.
November 28, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Don't forget the restaurants that I ate at once while on a road trip 15 years ago, and which I still remember for their mediocrity.
The grout issue was related to weather-proofing a balcony.
November 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM
The grout issue was related to weather-proofing a balcony.
Yes! It's basically the same demographic.
November 27, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Yes! It's basically the same demographic.
Here in Germany, it's finally cracked the "middle-aged tinkerer" market. Like, I have seen people walk up to each other on the street and ask about household solar installations. These are the same types of people who have opinions about grout.
November 26, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Here in Germany, it's finally cracked the "middle-aged tinkerer" market. Like, I have seen people walk up to each other on the street and ask about household solar installations. These are the same types of people who have opinions about grout.
My grandma would reserve the butt end of the turkey for herself. She'd call it the "pope's nose", which is funny because she was a devout Catholic.
Also there's the time that my mom forgot to take the bag of gizzards out before roasting the turkey.
Also there's the time that my mom forgot to take the bag of gizzards out before roasting the turkey.
November 26, 2025 at 5:34 PM
My grandma would reserve the butt end of the turkey for herself. She'd call it the "pope's nose", which is funny because she was a devout Catholic.
Also there's the time that my mom forgot to take the bag of gizzards out before roasting the turkey.
Also there's the time that my mom forgot to take the bag of gizzards out before roasting the turkey.
It's all just a trick so that Americans have to say tongue twisters like "österreichischer Sachertorte".
November 26, 2025 at 4:27 PM
It's all just a trick so that Americans have to say tongue twisters like "österreichischer Sachertorte".
They thought that I was taking the piss when I asked where I could find kimchi-flavored chocolate, and when I made kimchi & scrambled eggs with coffee as a hangover cure.
November 26, 2025 at 10:47 AM
They thought that I was taking the piss when I asked where I could find kimchi-flavored chocolate, and when I made kimchi & scrambled eggs with coffee as a hangover cure.
The other way around: I was dating someone from Japan 20 years ago, and we hopped over to Korea to attend a wedding. Her father warned, "beware, once you get off the plane, everything smells like kimchi."
He was right, and it was wonderful. They felt almost insulted, though, how much I liked it.
He was right, and it was wonderful. They felt almost insulted, though, how much I liked it.
November 26, 2025 at 10:44 AM
The other way around: I was dating someone from Japan 20 years ago, and we hopped over to Korea to attend a wedding. Her father warned, "beware, once you get off the plane, everything smells like kimchi."
He was right, and it was wonderful. They felt almost insulted, though, how much I liked it.
He was right, and it was wonderful. They felt almost insulted, though, how much I liked it.
It's the only place in Europe where I've ever had the thought, "This place could use a Chili's."
November 26, 2025 at 10:25 AM
It's the only place in Europe where I've ever had the thought, "This place could use a Chili's."
When I was a well-traveled 30 year old with an iron constitution, I found it confusing and terrifying--like a non-Euclidean manifold from a fever dream.
And it was the one place in the entire country where I couldn't find a decent meal.
And it was the one place in the entire country where I couldn't find a decent meal.
November 26, 2025 at 10:23 AM
When I was a well-traveled 30 year old with an iron constitution, I found it confusing and terrifying--like a non-Euclidean manifold from a fever dream.
And it was the one place in the entire country where I couldn't find a decent meal.
And it was the one place in the entire country where I couldn't find a decent meal.
Interesting.
Was this recently?
Was this recently?
November 26, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Interesting.
Was this recently?
Was this recently?
There is also a Tbilisser Platz in Saarbrücken, though scientists could not determine if there was a portal between the two places.
Does Tbilisi still have a George W. Bush Street leading to/from the airport? And some amazing food?
Does Tbilisi still have a George W. Bush Street leading to/from the airport? And some amazing food?
November 26, 2025 at 9:42 AM
There is also a Tbilisser Platz in Saarbrücken, though scientists could not determine if there was a portal between the two places.
Does Tbilisi still have a George W. Bush Street leading to/from the airport? And some amazing food?
Does Tbilisi still have a George W. Bush Street leading to/from the airport? And some amazing food?
Tbilisi?
November 26, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Tbilisi?
Russia did the same thing, not sure if they still do. This administration may as well post everything in Cyrillic anyway.
(To be fair, not complaining that I had to pay $5 to get into some museum that a Russian got into for 13 cents. But hundreds of dollars would be a different story.)
(To be fair, not complaining that I had to pay $5 to get into some museum that a Russian got into for 13 cents. But hundreds of dollars would be a different story.)
November 26, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Russia did the same thing, not sure if they still do. This administration may as well post everything in Cyrillic anyway.
(To be fair, not complaining that I had to pay $5 to get into some museum that a Russian got into for 13 cents. But hundreds of dollars would be a different story.)
(To be fair, not complaining that I had to pay $5 to get into some museum that a Russian got into for 13 cents. But hundreds of dollars would be a different story.)