SkillSet Winter 2019

never stop learning

We all know that knowledge is power, and that knowledge is what allows us to get things done. As we approach the end of 2019, I am feeling the need to step back to see what has been accomplished. I have to say that I am incredibly proud of every issue of Skillset we have put out this year—our crew has worked overtime to bring you the best of the Alpha Lifestyle. However, as I look in the mirror, I wonder if I have actually done enough to improve myself. Does your editorial director practice what he preaches? Therefore, to really put my money where my mouth is, I have challenged our assistant editor, Ben Tirpak, and myself to learn four new skillsets before 2020 ends. These will not be your…

insider info

BRO, THEM PUMPS LOOK GREAT ON YOU! Although mainly used by women and some readers of Esquire magazine, high heels were originally designed for dudes. That’s right, toward the end of the 16th century, this Persian-inspired style was the cat’s meow in Europe and were actually considered very masculine. These days, a man in stilettos still gets people’s heads turning, plus unrestricted use of any bathroom he wants. 365 DAYS Men spend almost an entire year of their lives staring at women. Based on the creepy people we meet daily, I’m gonna say those are rookie numbers. BELLY BUTTON RAINFOREST YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG When using laundry detergent, clothes will be equally clean whether warm or cold water is used. The only difference is that warm water uses 75% more energy per cycle than cold. Scientists…

garlic black pepper beef jerky

This peppery, spicy beef jerky is sure to excite your taste buds and have you and your friends itching for more. Be careful, though, since once such an amazing-tasting jerky is made, you will find yourself hounded by your friends and family for more and more. If you aren’t ready for that kind of attention and badgering to make more, don’t share any and keep it all for yourself! You have been forewarned … The garlic and kick from the freshly cracked black pepper really make this recipe a powerhouse of flavor. Start with a beef eye of round sliced a quarter-inch thick with the grain of the meat for a chewy jerky, or slice it against the grain for a more tender bite. Mix the marinade in a Ziploc bag,…

surviving a nuclear apocalypse quiz

You decided to binge watch Chernobyl on HBO over the weekend, and now you’re justifiably freaked out. Thinking about nuclear accidents like the one that took place at Chernobyl is way different than thinking about a nuclear exchange between superpowers. There’s no real hope that you’ll survive a war. You’re not exactly in great shape, and your degree from “YouTube University” for having watched 27 hours of “prepper” videos won’t help you much when you’re at ground zero for a Russian ICBM. But after watching the dramatic details of that Ukrainian power plant accident, you realize that you have absolutely no idea what you would do if there were a nuclear explosion or nuclear reactor meltdown in your city. Would you survive? Do you have the knowhow? Where the hell…

chairman of the board game

If Monopoly wasn’t a staple of your childhood, you probably grew up in communist Russia, where owning a game fit for capitalist pigs would earn you a one-way musk ox ride to the Gulag. Staying up all night as a kid, bleary-eyed and high on Jolt Cola, Suzy-Q’s and sleeves of Pringles made for great memories around the Monopoly board. However, now you are an adult. You’ve got a real job because you have to pay real taxes and real rent. And like real life, Monopoly seems to drone on forever, but it is not supposed to be a monotonous slog. It was designed to last less than two hours, and although there are no hard-and-fast rules for success, there are principles and concepts that will increase your chances of fiscal…

you just made the watchlist

We all love to bitch and moan about how the TSA handles passenger security. It seems as if you can’t turn on the TV without seeing another lawsuit filed for screener mistreatment of passengers. But have you every wondered why they have to be so anal while they’re working their checkpoints? (Pun probably intended, but wouldn’t you have a chip on your shoulder too after your eighth cavity search of the red-eye shift?) Well, to quote a now-defunct mid-90s metal band (X-Cops), “It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.” So, let’s give the men and women who work to keep the skies of our great country safe their due by listing the top-10 craziest items ever confiscated by the TSA. 10. An inert tank round 9. Freddy Krueger gloves 8.…