Best products from r/Austin

I don't have any local recommendations for you, but I do have a few world-class recommendations that will cost you much less in time and money.

For CBT, check out Dr. David Burn's book - Feeling Good: You can pick it up online for like $5. It is a light and interesting read, lots of stories. Here is a study about "Feeling Good": "This study provided empirical evidence that a behavioral prescription for Feeling Good may be as effective as standard care, which commonly involves an antidepressant prescription."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20803165

For mindfulness, the fountainhead is Eastern/Bhuddist thought here is a good source for that:
The Power of Mindfulness by Nyanaponika Thera (fo free online)

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/powermindfulness.pdf

If you want both CBT and Mindfulness - then you should read or listen to Jeffery Schwartz. He has a few books, the most recent "You are not your brain" is approachable and an integration of Mindfulness and Cognitive Therapy.
Here is a 5 minute video, gives you a feel for the author: "4 steps to changing your brain for good"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuABDAAns7w

If you like that - here is a half-hour more (summary of the book above):
'You are not your brain' at Mind & Its Potential 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcrGlUHlu4M

Finally, if you are into workbooks - pick up "Mind over Mood"

http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Over-Mood-Change-Changing/dp/0898621283

Regardless of the book or therapist, you will have to do a lot mental work. So ultimately, most of the therapy, is self-therapy.
Best of luck to you. And remember: this too, shall pass.

Here's my current list of contenders. There'll never be another Austin, but I've made plenty of reconnaissance trips, and in my opinion, these towns capture at least some of the old Austin vibe in their own respective ways. (For me, "old" Austin means from around 1979 through around 1996 or so. Your milage may vary.) There are certainly other worthy towns out there, but these are the ones I have visited enough times to get a pretty good feel for them:

Tulsa, OK
Bend, OR
Chattanooga, TN
Bellingham, WA
Santa Fe, NM
Bloomington, IN
Alpine, TX
Missoula, MT
Duluth, MN
Sioux Falls, SD
Cedar Rapids, IA
San Angelo, TX
Omaha, NE


Also highly recommend reading this wonderful & optimistic book: Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America by James and Deborah Fallows. (Endorsed by Tom Hanks!)

> My point is that I asked for the things preventing BPL from being hacked and spoofed.

I'm not really sure why you even asked for that. You claimed that the meter was probably using the cell phone network, and I pointed out that it was probably using BPL and provided some evidence. I wasn't talking about BPL being more or less secure than the cell phone network, simply saying that it probably wasn't using the cell phone network. (So grabbing the sim and abusing it for free Internet isn't going to happen either.)

(Side note: If you want to use a sim card for free access, get a Kindle 3g and pull it's sim card and modem -- that seems a much more likely method.)

All that said, while I don't know anything about the CoA system specifically, BPL is usually protected by encryption just like everything else (including the cell phone network.) As for how strong this encryption is, that depends on the specific implementation -- but it's unlikely that one person not unusually skilled in the art is going to crack it on their own.

(Now, if it's been cracked somewhere else and the crack published, that might be usable, but simply getting access to the BPL signal might be difficult.)

If the CoA was serious about letting people get access to this data, they'd create an Internet portal and provide access. So far they aren't.

Really, if somebody wants to track their own electric usage, they have a number of alternatives. The best alternatives include a sensor you put around the wires going into the house and they can measure the magnetic field generated by it and determine how much energy your house is using, and then the device sits on your network and you can poll it with whatever software you want, and usually they come with some to start with. This is going to give you a whole lot better data (with data measured every second or minute) than the CoA who may not even bother to poll their consumer electric meters more than once a month.

As for how to do it yourself, on the very low end (with few features) you can get something like this -- http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU -- to measure one item. To measure your entire house with a lot more features, something like this -- http://www.powermeterstore.com/p7774/ted_5000.php

Where can I buy some ear caps that protect the edge of your ear in person? Google says that my only options are online through Amazon and Walmart, but I find it hard to believe that no one nearby carries them.

I need them, like, today.

Edit: Like these. Also, I checked Sally Beauty first, but no dice.

Edit 2: Ended up biting the bullet and ordering from Amazon. These are surprisingly less comfortable than one would think.

Yes it's entirely possible! I think that's also what /u/jbjjbjbb was saying. I agree the perspective with the Driskill is strange. Perhaps it could be an artifact of the camera technology of the time? I can't answer for sure. Thanks kindly for the high praise! If you are interested in that time period in Austin and haven't ever heard of it, I highly recommend the book Guy Town by Gaslight by Richard Zelade. It's available down at the big new library, too!

As a former tree frog owner I am really loving these posts. :) I would totally get them a silk plant vine that will stick right on the window (like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AR63M/ref=twister_B005HSGAOU?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 ). They like to stick on the leaves, and it can also provide them shade from the harsh sun. They also need to absorb water through their skin, so you can spray them down or get a little terrarium bowl of water for them to soak in. You can get Reptisafe drops to treat the water at any pet store. Just throwing out some ideas to help make a nice environment for them.. who knows you may end up with more frog friends!

Don't get a dwarf peach tree - get a peach tree that has the right number of chill hours for your area (more below). Peach trees should be pruned aggressively each dormant season to optimize fruit production, but also to limit size. It's common practice to keep the tree at a size that allows you to pick the fruit without a ladder. It's very easy to keep them limited to a smaller size.

About chill hours - peaches require a certain number of "chill hours" (time spent at temperatures in a cold range) in order to set fruit. You need to look up the chill hours for your area and get a tree that is close to that. If you choose a tree that has too few hours, it might wake up from dormancy before the final frost and you'd lose all your crop. If you choose one that has too many hours, it might never wake up from dormancy. I live in an area that is around 700 hours, so we planted two different varieties that are 650 and 800 chill hours.

I also recommend planting a bare root tree (aka "whip"). It's tempting to buy a giant tree, but smaller ones will get established quicker and do better over the longer period. This also allows you to make the first years pruning cut that will establish the scaffold limbs and the shape of the tree (i.e. limiting it's height).

Source: Successfully grown peaches as a homeowner in Austin. This book is the bible and has everything you need to know. I HIGHLY recommend reading through it (takes 3-4 hours) before purchasing a peach tree. It will explain everything from site selection to pruning: https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-AgriLife-Research-Extension-Service/dp/1603442669

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I make my own-- it's really easy. Just Google it and you will find lots of instructions. Takes about a week. I use bottled spring water because the yeast supposedly doesn't like the fluoride in city water.

I use this 33.75 oz glass jar to store my starter in the fridge: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0107M5AR8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's a perfect size and looks nice as well.

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This dough whisk makes it easy to stir the starter in the jar: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MI3OL52/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Thanks for the reminder I need to feed my starter!

I'm mixed on it. I'm a pretty moderate Libertarian. Ideally I'd like to see things privatized, but there are certain ones that shouldn't be due to the corruption incentives they create. Prisons are high on this list as is education. As for healthcare, I strongly oppose Obamacare, but mostly because I vehemently oppose the idea of having to give money to private corporations under penalty of law.

I published a book on the topic, but my take is that a basic form of public healthcare should exist. I'm in favor of "quantity of life" not "quality of life". Someone who is in car wreck should have their life saved without being bankrupt. This is a very anti-libertarian position, but I can't see a way around it given the necessity for life and the ability to exploit people (which happens daily).

http://www.amazon.com/American-Healthcare-Moderate-Kevin-Ludlow/dp/1480069442/

started seeing some results with boric acid - the little ones are starting to die off. i was skeptical at first but it seems to be taking foot. i'm gonna pick up a can of this stuff after work as well https://www.amazon.com/BENGAL-CHEMICAL-Roach-Spray-92464/dp/B0015I3ESG this has some of the best reviews i've seen on a roach killer so i've got high hopes.

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good luck fellow roach fighter!

Once you find a therapist, here's a good article to read through before your first visit: https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counseling-session/

If things aren't clicking between you and the therapist after the first couple of visits, don't be afraid to cancel future appointments and try another one. (Don't just ghost them though; make sure you cancel the appointments or they could charge you a cancellation fee.)

The first therapist I ever went to fell asleep during our first meeting. I called the next day and told her I didn't think it was going to work out.

If you decide you don't want or can't afford therapy, here is a really good book: https://amazon.com/Feeling-Good-New-Mood-Therapy/dp/0380810336/ I've used it a couple of times to help me out of a slump.

Just remember that it's OK to ask for help.

Ya, on one hand I can see that, but people are unlikely to specifically seek out some Chinese made cheap $4 widget to order directly from an unknown manufacturer who might consider selling directly to consumers, but I'd imagine larger purchases like a mattress from reputable, recognized companies, people would not be as hesitant. Seems like it's bound to go that direction as more people are buying things like this for these type of prices relative to storebought mattresses: https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Green-Mattress-Queen/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=zg_bs_3732981_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WPH1AKGRVPDVEQ7R1V7Z

How many people are going to be going to mattress firm to spend 3-5x the price when awareness catches up? The big mattress makers are surely going to have to adjust over time as they lose sales to people buying direct and I'd imagine a lot of these mattress stores will too.

I'd suggest Josh Long's Weird City: Sense of Place and Creative Resistance in Austin, Texas. It's not a hard read but fairly informative.

Also Jason Mellard's Progressive Country: How the 1970s Transformed the Texan in Popular Culture will be of great use to you.

Finally, check out The End of Austin for both contemporary and historic shorter pieces about Austin's "weird" identity. Provocative name but the actual content of the site is much more concerned with exploring Austin's changing identity, not presupposing that it's over.

That's pretty cool.

I've had one for years, and love it. I have analyzed all my electronic equipment and evaluated costs of keeping things powered. Needless to say, I turn almost everything off now, and even got rid of things like alarm clocks.

For anyone wanting to purchase, they're usually $20 or less, and worth every cent!

http://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electricity-Usage-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414784458&sr=8-1&keywords=kill+a+watt

> forethought

Hmm, if I start storing my reusable bags in the car, instead of the closet, I'll always have them with me when I'm at the store; even if I forget to carry them with me from car to store, they're not too far away to run back and get them if the dozens of signs and other reminders on the way in didn't help me remember.

(I realize this doesn't work for those without their own vehicle)

Also, bags such as these are amazing and I highly recommend them.

However, I'm also a fan of choice. Let us have both and each consumer can use whatever they wish ... and we'll just pray they dispose of them properly.

Here, copying my comment below:

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003L76BJS/

Looks kind of weird but I just put it on the wall behind my entertainment center. Haven't had any issues but go over to /r/cordcutters for more info on which one might work best for you. A lot of resources there.

You can get a decent used couch at Salvation Army for $100 or less. Kitchen table and chairs are pretty easy to find for free on Craigslist or Freecycle, as long as you don’t need all the pieces to match.

For your bedroom, keep it simple. Mattress, dresser, desk, and desk chair are all you need. Don’t skimp out and buy an uncomfortable mattress. If you like a firm mattress and want to go cheap, get an egg crate foam mattress topper and some quilts and make a pallet on the floor. If you like a soft mattress, get one of those cheap memory foam ones from Big Lots.

Dressers are hard to find at thrift stores or for free. People hang on to them until they are falling apart. Look on Amazon for one made by Lang Furniture. It is decent quality and only $140. You can also hang up all you clothes and buy some baskets for your socks and underwear.

For a desk, I would go with a fold up camping table. If you buy one of those cheap desks in a box that you assemble, it is going to fall apart the first time you move it. The fold up table is $40 or so at Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, etc. It is lightweight and durable. Example from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YJPC2A/

For a desk chair, go to TOPS and get a used one for $50.

Also don’t go overboard on living room or kitchen stuff until you find out what your roommates have. Microwave, toaster oven, etc are good to have but you don’t need two of them.

Here, read this book. Parking costs $$$ to provide the ~325 sq ft of space (~550 sq ft when including the driving space), especially opportunity costs (i.e. residences, businesses, etc that would actually be productive places). Mandating its inclusion and having it be of no cost to the user does soooo much to promote a cycle of automobile dependency, to the point where expecting free parking in a large city creates the very problem it was meant to solve.

Guy Town by Gaslight: A History of Vice in Austin's First Ward by Richard Zelade came out earlier this year and looks like a great read.

My husband and I bought this mattress on Amazon for $229 over a year ago. We absolutely love it. We just ordered a 2nd one for the guest room.

For a concrete example:

One study written about in this amazing book found evidence that the minimum parking requirements in one area of LA increased the cost of housing by 26%

Parking is expensive. This book is a great read on that: http://www.amazon.com/High-Cost-Free-Parking-Updated/dp/193236496X

Here is the non-mobile link from the comment above
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If you can afford that you can afford my rear light that is one of the brightest for the cost. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00E1NQ6T6/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1415985141&sr=8-2

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Link: Weird City: Sense of Place and Creative Resistance in Austin, Texas

• UK: amazon.co.uk
  
• Spain: amazon.es
  
• France: amazon.fr
  
• Germany: amazon.de
  
• Japan: amazon.co.jp
  
• Canada: amazon.ca
  
• Italy: amazon.it
  
• China: amazon.cn
  
  
  This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting).

Those in combination with this spray will clear out that infestation, at least in your unit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/wiki/index has a good overview, but I use a Winegard FreeVision FV-30BB HDTV Antenna