http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=167166

Vote on this poll

Cotton
 [bar] 177/27%
Nylon
 [bar] 15/2%
Silk
 [bar] 62/10%
Hemp
 [bar] 109/17%
Leather
 [bar] 73/11%
Stainless steel
 [bar] 117/18%
What?
 [bar] 99/15%
652 total votes
Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: I prefer
by tadman (Prior) on May 17, 2002 at 01:38 UTC
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by frankus (Priest) on May 17, 2002 at 09:04 UTC
    Where is the Hessian? Eh?
    I mean, do you think I join a monastary for anything other than the feel
    of course sack-cloth chaffing me as I go about my daily routines in my habit?

    --

    Brother Frankus.

    ¤

[reply]

      I've never seen a Hessian in the monastery. Although, if someone asked about identifying local maxima of functions with several variables, it's possible that the matrix 

      ∂2f/∂x1∂x1 ... ∂2f/∂x1∂xn
      
... ... ... ...
∂2f/∂xn∂x1 ... ∂2f/∂xn∂xn
      would get mentioned as a way to distinguish minima from maxima.

[reply]
Re: I prefer
by Saveth (Sexton) on May 17, 2002 at 01:30 UTC
    jc, What happened to the handcuffs option? :P
[reply]
      handcuffs? Oh please, can somebody deliver muzzles and security blankets URGENTLY!
[reply]
Hemp, hemp, hooray!
by mdillon (Priest) on May 18, 2002 at 17:13 UTC
    I thought I would share the following tidbit, entry 3a from Part One of the Cannabis/Marijuana FAQ:
    3a) How can hemp be used for cloth?

    The stalk of the hemp plant has two parts, called the bast and the hurd. The fiber (bast) of the hemp plant can be woven into almost any kind of cloth. It is very durable. In fact, the first Levi's blue jeans were made out of hemp for just this reason. Compared to all the other natural fibers available, hemp is more suitable for a large number of applications.

    Here is how hemp is harvested for fiber: A field of closely spaced hemp is allowed to grow until the leaves fall off. The hemp is then cut down and it lies in the field for some time washed by the rain. It is turned over once to expose both sides of the stalk evenly. During this time, the hurd softens up and many minerals are returned to the soil. This is called `retting,' and after this step is complete, the stalks are brought to a machine which separates the bast and the hurd. We are lucky to have machines today -- men used to do this last part by hand with hours of back-breaking labor.

    Here's another passage I found interesting, part of a site discussing why hemp went from being the most popular natural fiber source in the U.S., to being second (behind cotton), to being demonized:
    Hemp fibers were extracted from cannabis and used for textiles, rope, canvas, paper and other industrial uses. For millennia, this was an extremely labor-intensive process, although the results were deemed worthy of the effort. Hemp is softer, warmer and more water-resistant than cotton, and has three times as much tensile strength. Although in the 1820s Eli Whitney's legendary cotton gin launched cotton as America's number one textile, hemp remained the second most popular natural fiber until the 1930s.

    Which brings us to 1937. Human technology had finally reached the point at which hemp could be processed economically. Machinery such as George Schlichten's "decorticator," which could strip fiber from any plant, did for hemp what Whitney's gin did for the cotton industry: production labor was reduced by an order of magnitude.

    Hemp-based newsprint could be produced at half the cost of inferior wood-based newsprint. Superior hemp fabric could easily compete with cotton. And scientists had just begun to explore the medical uses of marijuana. In 1937, hemp was a rapidly growing industry with virtually unlimited potential, which, according to conservative estimates, would currently generate $500 billion per year -- if it had not been criminalized by a group of elite industrialists with very different plans for industry in the 20th century.

[reply]
Re: I prefer
by newrisedesigns (Curate) on May 17, 2002 at 02:24 UTC
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by Sinister (Friar) on May 17, 2002 at 08:21 UTC
    Where's wood?

    er formait hyarya.
    "Field experience is something you don't get until just after you need it."
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by jlongino (Parson) on May 17, 2002 at 02:28 UTC
    I voted cotton since I'm a natural fiber kinda guy (silk stains too easily and doesn't absorb moisture well). I almost voted stainless steel but I was afraid you might be talking about underwear. :D

    --Jim

[reply]
      If you like "natural" fiber, you should consider sustainably grown hemp or exclusively organic cotton. Here's an interesting link showing all the pesticides and herbicides used in growing conventional cotton (i.e. most of the cotton that folks buy).

      I'm planning to soon get a jacket from the Smith Center made with a 100% hemp shell and a hemp/cotton lining. The Smith Center is a textile/clothing manufacturer dedicated to the use of sustainable materials.

[reply]
        Yeah hemp is pretty nice for some things. But cold weather kit isnt one of them.. For me its GORE-TEX and only GORE-TEX... (One of the most important inventions of the US space program...) Even the GORE-TEX rip offs dont come close. (At least the ones ive tried)

        Yves / DeMerphq
        ---
        Writing a good benchmark isnt as easy as it might look.

[reply]
        I can't resist opening a good can of worms.

        Actually quite a lot of cotton grown in North America is genetically engineered and produces a bacterial pesticide within itself, so it requires very little in the way of spray pesticides now.

        However, given concerns about; quicker evolution of resistant insects due to how successfully the 'natural' bacterial pesticide works, large firms such as Monsanto having a virtual monopoly on specific crops (including cotton) due to the US patent system allowing patents of genes, introducing genetically modified plants into the eco-system at all, etc. You may still favour the other farming practices. ;)

        Pro: Con:

        Edit kudra, 2002-05-27 closed unclosed list

[reply]
        Plus you can smoke it when you get bored
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by Caillte (Friar) on May 17, 2002 at 15:16 UTC

    Silk, of course.... leather is only suitable for wallpaper *wink*

    I once dated someone with a leather wallpapered bedroom, it was like making love in a wallet.

    This page is intentionally left justified.

[reply]
(zdog) Re: I prefer
by zdog (Priest) on May 17, 2002 at 01:50 UTC
    Mmm... leather.

    Update: Cotton isn't bad, either.

    Zenon Zabinski | zdog | zdog@perlmonk.org

[reply]
Re: I prefer
by robot_tourist (Hermit) on May 17, 2002 at 11:14 UTC

    Stainless steel all the way! Try slotting your mainboard into a case with no steel. You didn't think it through did you? Nylon will hold charge and give your processors electrostatic discharge. And what's with the leather? Is this some sort of kinky site?

    How can you feel when you're made of steel?/I am made of steel!/I am the Robot Tourist. Robot Tourist, by Ten Benson

[reply]
      You use a case?
      Sparky
      FMTEYEWTK
[reply]

      If you worried about a static charge in clothing, This comic might have some helpful pointers (Despite 1337 talk).

[reply]
Re: I prefer
by UberDragon13 (Acolyte) on May 17, 2002 at 01:57 UTC
    Handcuff option? I feel cheated! :) I want a handcuff option!

    ~uber

    ============================================================
    ....Sometimes life can be as bitter as dragon tears. But whether dragon tears are
    bitter or sweet depends entirely on how each person perceives the taste....
    ============================================================
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by thelenm (Vicar) on May 17, 2002 at 15:44 UTC
    Whatever they make ThinkGeek T-shirts out of. I don't know what that is (what am I, a seamstress? :-), so I voted "What?"
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by shadox (Priest) on May 17, 2002 at 07:30 UTC
    Leather, in fact a leather coat is in my "TO BUY" list :)
    ___________________________________________
     Optimus magister, bonus liber
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by ellem (Hermit) on May 19, 2002 at 18:37 UTC
    Latex...
    It's not just for text processing anymore!
    --
    ellem@optonline.net
    There's more than one way to do it, but only some of them actually work.
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by doran (Deacon) on May 17, 2002 at 22:43 UTC
    If I've got enough hemp, I don't really care what else I have.
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by emcs (Scribe) on May 17, 2002 at 20:49 UTC
    After doing some research on natural and man/woman made fibres, I picked cotton, after finding this:

    thread

    The dogs bark; but the caravan rolls on.
[reply]
      Thanks for the link!

      I've been interested in the Monastery having cowls avaliable for sometime. I contacted Garb World and they are looking into it. Basically I asked if they could do the robes, but finish them off at the waist to make a sweatshirt type thing. I'd love to get an idea of how many others are interested (bulk rates, monogramming/insignia, etc.).

      Also, we'd in fact probably want some sort of insignia eventually I'd imagine? If anyone wants to whip up some ideas that'd be great, previous ideas can be found within. A single buddha over perlmonks is probably the best out of those I think, but not quite true to form for a robe (not that much would be ;-). Maybe something simple (the name of the font is Naked Monk :-D)?

      --
      perl -pew "s/\b;([mnst])/'$1/g"

[reply]
Re: I prefer
by belg4mit (Prior) on May 17, 2002 at 22:46 UTC
    Cotton, so versatile... denim, jersee.

    PS> For all you hand-cuff people, wouldn't that be stainless-steel?

    --
    perl -pew "s/\b;([mnst])/'$1/g"

[reply]
      Hemp is similarly versatile; it can be made into denim, jersey, and even "silk" (quite nice actually), among many other variants. Plus, it doesn't need pesticides and herbicides as cotton does typically (though cotton can be grown organically, currently at substantially higher cost).
[reply]
        I have a hemp wallet I bought last year, and it is in tatters. I have a denim wallet that went years and years before it stared to become threadbare. Granted the hemp wallet is a slightly rougher thread and weave, but I am still disappointed :-/

        Oh, and linen is nice too. Plus you get all that healthy flax oil.

        --
        perl -pew "s/\b;([mnst])/'$1/g"

[reply]
Re: I prefer
by pdcawley (Hermit) on May 19, 2002 at 07:40 UTC
    Personally I prefer linen. By a very long chalk indeed. Lovely stuff.

    And, for bonus wossname, the manufacture of the stuff involves industrial quantities of Urine.

    Wool's good too.

[reply]
      Yeah, wool and linen. Linen is really cool in the summer, wool is both cool and warm, depends on your needs.
[reply]

        ...linen is for grown-ups. Silk is okay for children of all ages.

        ---v

[reply]
Re: I prefer
by jynx (Priest) on May 20, 2002 at 17:57 UTC

    Pinky, are you pondering what i'm pondering?
    I think so Brain, but where are we going to find rubber pants our size at this time of night?

    narf!
    jynx

[reply]
      Lubber..., yeah shrinktubing with a hairdryer ... -- FZ
      Personally I prefer wool, keeps the feet from getting cold.
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by drfrog (Deacon) on May 18, 2002 at 01:00 UTC
    what the hell no polyester?!!!! geez
[reply]
      Ya its about time I dust of my old polyester suit. Leisure suit baby!!

      "The way of the Hacker, the Way of the Sword and the way of Zen are identical, for they have the same purpose - that of killing the ego." -- Adapted from Yamada Jirokichi
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by greywolf (Priest) on May 17, 2002 at 22:59 UTC
    Cotton....Oh yes that ever friendly cotton. Gotta love it!

    mr greywolf
[reply]
      I must agree with the wise old greywolf on this one, Cotton is the best.
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by OzzyOsbourne (Chaplain) on May 20, 2002 at 18:04 UTC
[reply]
Re: I prefer:
by Phaysis (Pilgrim) on May 18, 2002 at 23:02 UTC
    The textile preference depends on its usage. Wallet? Leather. Wallet chain? Stainless steel. Fun? Leather, stainless steel, fleece. Bedding? Cotton, with cotton/poly covers. Shoes? Leather. Belt? Leather. Coat? Leather or nylon. Raincoat? Vinyl. Backpack? Nylon. General clothing? Cotton. Yes, most definitely cotton. Especially here in south-central Texas; as little of it as necessary. Oh yes.

    Leather may have an extreme number of extreme uses, but for the core, basic textiles for general usage, then yes, I vote cotton.

    -Shawn
    (Ph) Phaysis
    If idle hands are the tools of the devil, are idol tools the hands of god?

[reply]
      the touch...
      the feel...
      of...
      stainless...
      steel...
      work it harder make it better do it faster makes us stronger more than ever hour after our work is never over.
[reply]
I prefer
by Anonymous Monk on May 19, 2002 at 19:30 UTC
    Hey! I protest! Where's the FLAX?! My 5 tons of flax!
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by igor_mortis (Novice) on May 21, 2002 at 09:52 UTC
    yeah - leather okay, forget about that handcuffs option... I am really too shy anyway...
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by NAstyed (Chaplain) on May 17, 2002 at 12:14 UTC
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by blacksmith (Hermit) on May 25, 2002 at 02:36 UTC
[reply]
Context
by gaudior (Pilgrim) on May 26, 2002 at 12:07 UTC
    What is the context. For my kitchen sink, I prefer stainless steel. For my shoes, I prefer leather. My tighty-whities must be cotton. And where is the option of Latex, for my more adventurous moods? ;.-)
[reply]
Re: I prefer
by krusty (Hermit) on May 27, 2002 at 00:04 UTC
    More to the point would be "where?"...
[reply]

View List Of Past Polls