10:07 – The weather is still spring-like, with overnight lows in the mid- to high-40’s F (6C to 9C) and daytime highs in the mid- to high-50’s F (13C to 15C). It was 48F (9C) when I got up this morning, gray and damp. This is to continue for the next two or three days, followed by a warming trend. My guess is that by the end of the month we’ll be back to cold weather and frozen precipitation.
Colin turns six years old next month, and I’m just now getting him trained to come when I call him. All along, he’s responded to voice commands, but only if there’s not something more interesting to do. In that case, he just turns his ears off and does what he wants to do. I need him to drop everything and come reliably when he’s called, mainly because some of the drivers out on the road really haul ass.
Barbara and I spent most of yesterday working on science kits. We got a batch of new ones packed up and ready to go, and shipped several of those. Work continues on science kits this week so that we can get a reasonable level of finished-goods inventory on all types.
We’re running out of things to watch on TV. The root of the problem is that our preferences are far different from the norm. New stuff tends to focus on things we’re not interested in watching: zombies, serial-killers, angst-ridden millennial dramas, and so on. And diversity, which disgusts me.
Oh, not diversity in casting. I don’t care if there are characters who are black, oriental, female, gay, religious, etc. etc., as long as they’re reasonably proportionally represented. What disturbs me is this idea that all “cultures” are equally valid and equally important. That’s bullshit, and I don’t care to watch inferior cultures being represented as equal to (and usually superior to) Western European culture. They’re not, they never have been, and they never will be.
So we watch a lot of British series, but mainly the older stuff. From before the BBC became painfully PC, starting in the early 90’s and getting ridiculously intrusive a decade or so ago. We don’t need progressive propaganda with our entertainment, which rules out about 90% of the series made in the last decade or more.
10:37 – Right after I posted the last entry, I got email from a woman who wants to get started prepping. Nothing unusual there, except that she voted for Clinton rather than Trump, and is afraid that Trump is going to cause the end of the world as she knows it. She’s self-aware enough to understand that preppers overwhelmingly supported Trump and generally have a low opinion of Clinton supporters, and assumes that she won’t be welcome in prepper circles.
I told her that wasn’t true, at least for most preppers. Yes, most of us despise Clinton, but many of us, including me, aren’t all that much happier with Trump. I don’t doubt that many of my friends and acquaintances voted for Clinton, not because they actually supported her, but for the same reason that many of us voted for Trump: that we thought we were voting for the candidate who would be less hideous than the alternative.
So I suggested that she start by going back and reading my earlier posts that are flagged with Jen, Brittany, Jason and Jessica, and Cassie. That should at least get her started.
strong recommendation for “Travelers,” a Netflix-original series. No serial killers or zombies, just a tautly plotted and very engaging sci-fi/thriller hybrid with a mostly Canadian cast.
I just noticed that Dick Gautier has died. I remember him playing Hymie the Robot on Get Smart and Robin Hood on When Things were Rotten.
I still remember the scene where Maxwell Smart meets Hymie and is interviewing him for a job at CONTROL:
Max: “Do you drink?”
Hymie: “Only oil.”
Max: “Do you smoke?”
Hymie: “Only when I drink cheap oil.”
@Paul Robichaux
Thanks. We’ll check it out. Barbara thinks she’s not an SF fan, although she’s read a lot of Heinlein and Pournelle. She also liked the Amazon Prime Original series The Man in the High Castle. I pointed out after we’d finished watching it that it was as SF as things get.
34 here and a chance of a couple of inches of snow tonight. 30s and low 40s the rest of the week with intermittent snow and rain showers, I guess. Whatevuh.
I also find that the earlier British tee-vee series are superior to most Murkan tee-vee, to this day, and similarly find British and Irish literature superior, for the most part. They’re just more literate and history-conscious.
And I see that the Euro scheisskopfen who run those countries are upset about tRump’s latest remarks concerning the EU. Tough shit. And we’re not paying for and providing your defense anymore, either. So you can let in swarms of hadji scum and support them, and this after decades of your workers’ high pay and long vacations.
Among the very first things tRump should do is pull those troops out of Poland and Norway and quit poking the Russian bear. Ditto all that screwing around with the Chicoms; let the South Koreans, Japanese and Vietnamese deal with them. And seal off our southern border, by hook or by crook.
The HBO “Westworld” reboot is pretty interesting TV, but I recommend going in cold, not knowing too much about the plot twists.
I will tell you that Anthony Hopkins and Ed Harris end up being far more than window dressing, turning in some of the best work of their respective careers IMHO, and the show creators make an attempt at real Sci Fi. Evan Rachel Wood will probably win one of the show’s many Emmys.
Also, I think I’ve already passed along the recommendation for BBC One’s “The Musketeers”. The series isn’t 100% historically accurate, but it is solid entertainment.
I second the recommendation for Travelers on Netflix.
R U an Angry White Man???
“When we’re not beating up our wives and girlfriends or killing Meskin illegals with our concealed-carry Glocks purchased at the Tactical Knife and Gun Wholesale Megamarket in Lumberton, North Carolina, we’re pretty much leading normal lives hanging around the Waffle House so the process server can’t find us and extradite us to southern Alabama to face charges on the 47 months of back child-support payments we never paid because we “just forgot, Your Honor.””
http://takimag.com/article/i_guess_im_an_angry_white_man_joe_bob_briggs/print#axzz4W3GcJ1Z0
Comments are pretty funny, per usual.
R U a country mouse or a city mouse?
http://www.city-journal.org:8080/html/trump-and-american-divide-14944.html
”
Indeed, one irony of the 2016 election is that identity politics became a lethal boomerang for progressives. After years of seeing America reduced to a binary universe, with culpable white Christian males encircled by ascendant noble minorities, gays, feminists, and atheists—usually led by courageous white-male progressive crusaders—red-state America decided that two could play the identity-politics game. In 2016, rural folk did silently in the voting booth what urban America had done to them so publicly in countless sitcoms, movies, and political campaigns.”
… we’re pretty much leading normal lives hanging around the Waffle House …
Hey, I like Waffle House. They have a corporate philosophy of prepping.
Anyone who doesn’t want to be found would be better off hanging out at Denny’s.
Apparently, squirrels and other small animals account for far more power outages than the few (2 or 3?) actually caused by “cyber warfare.”
I leave the reader to check his own news sources for the details.
Well, I just rented my office warehouse to a new tenant. I advertised in the local paper, Craigslist, and a sign out front. I got five respondents, one from the paper, one from the sign, and three from Craigslist. The pricing (free!) and convenience of Craigslist is superior. My old tenant is moving out Feb 28 and the new tenant on Mar 1. And I increased the rent by 25%.
[snip] Apparently, squirrels and other small animals account for far more power outages [snip]
On Guam, it’s the brown tree snake; little bastards short things out all the time.
We don’t have a Waffle House in VT that I know of, but there’s a Denny’s in South Burlap right by the I-89 ramps; been there once a long while ago; not too impressive.
If I didn’t wanna be found I’d hang with the cool hipsters at the Barnes & Noble store down there, or with the 2600 krew under the stairs at the Burlington Mall.
Better yet, just disappear into the 6,000-acre wilderness reserve just a few clicks up the road.
From the Deep State and What Might Be Coming Department:
https://straightlinelogic.com/2017/01/17/neither-intelligent-nor-wise-but-definitely-dangerous-by-robert-gore/
Yes, the inmates run the asylum. And they have nukes.
“Security in 2017: Ransomware will remain king”
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/threat-analysis/2016/12/security-in-2017-ransomware-will-remain-king/
“2016 was the year of ransomware, with hackers focusing their attention on exploiting Internet users and businesses around the world for profit. According to the FBI, cyberextortion losses have skyrocketed and ransomware was on track to become a $1 billion a year crime in 2016.”
“Our research shows no sign of this security nightmare slowing down in 2017. Hackers are becoming more advanced, and ransomware remains an incredibly easy, lucrative way for them to make money. Unfortunately, the security community has only started to develop defenses that can protect Internet users from ransomware.”
A very not so nice list follows.
We have yet to be hit by this nightmare but, I am wary.
Ofukstik commuted Bradley “Chelsea” Manning’s sentence. Out in May. Did he/she/it ever get the free gummint sex change? Up next, pre-pardons for Sharpless and Jackwagon and every other fukstik he might make a buck off of.
I also got the malwarebytes warning in my email today, but it doesn’t run in Linux anyway; the other big security hazards listed by Homeland Security’s NIST were Adobe products and the Linux kernel.
As for Manning; just let it go and let it find its own way of doing whatever, no more taxpayer money on whatever. And we can’t wait to see the massive crowd of pardons coming. Should be a laff and a half.
Plus, a pledge of $500 million to some “Green Fund” to help developing countries. What about our own fucking country, Ofukstik? I hope tRump crushes all this shit and becomes the Libturdian’s Most Wanted.
He doesn’t give a blind rat’s syphilitic ass about this country as he’s made abundantly clear, and ditto for the Missus Moochelle. We’ve got so many better uses for that amount of moolah, such as, oh, I dunno, maybe the 20+ veterans a day committing suicide, IT security in the most vulnerable Grid areas, or just give it to me, and I’ll find more useful things to do with it right here in Vermont.
tRump may already be a viable “terminate with extreme prejudice” target by our Deep State operators. I wouldn’t put anything past these bastards. And if he somehow gets eliminated, we’ll be down to his VP-elect and basically in nearly the same boat as we would have been with Cankles. Actually it could break entirely new legal, Constitutional and historical ground.
“If I didn’t wanna be found I’d …..”
…. go to Las Vegas, don an Elvis outfit and wig and walk around among the dozens that are doing the same. Obviously, I am disguising my real self…but I’m fitting right in such that nobody would think that I am hiding.
See, that’s the whole key right there, fitting in. If you’re in Elvis-Land, dress like either him or his fans.
And if you’re in northern Vermont in the winta, dress like Paul Bunyan or Rusty DeWees. The latter, also, if you wanna learn how to talk Rural Vermontese. I can do a poor imitation but there’s no use; my Boston suburb twang comes out anyway. A modern version of 17th-C East Anglia.
And my comment is awaiting moderation. Uh-oh. What’d I say? Yikes!
tRump may already be a viable “terminate with extreme prejudice” target by our Deep State operators. I wouldn’t put anything past these bastards. And if he somehow gets eliminated, we’ll be down to his VP-elect and basically in nearly the same boat as we would have been with Cankles. Actually it could break entirely new legal, Constitutional and historical ground.
Shoot, the entire federal workforce may have Trump on terminate with extreme prejudice. “Boom: Trump eyes 10% spending cuts, 20% slash of federal workers”
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/boom-trump-eyes-10-spending-cuts-20-slash-of-federal-workers/article/2612037
I did the thing that puts every comment in moderation. I’m trying to get Akismet to stop putting comments from CowboySlim, ech, and Ray Thompson in moderation every time, even though they’re pre-approved.
And if you’re in northern Vermont in the winta, dress like Paul Bunyan or Rusty DeWees.
Or in TN you bust out a couple of teeth and a headlight.
Uh-oh. What’d I say?
Seriously? Perhaps the eternal optimist said something out of character.
And my comment is awaiting moderation.
Yeh, join the exclusive club of which I am apparently still a member.
Don’t think that Akismet does that ‘moderation hold’ thing. That setting is in Settings, Discussion.
Could be several things in there, including the number of URLs in a comment that puts a comment in moderation if more than that number of URLs.
IIRC.
including the number of URLs in a comment
No URL’s in this comment. But still awaiting moderation.
Yeah, I found it there. The problem has nothing to do with the number of URLs in a comment. It now holds for moderation every comment made by Ray Thompson, Cowboy Slim, or ech. Every single comment. I have to approve each one separately, and have done since this started a couple or three weeks ago.
Have I mentioned how much I hate WordPress? I’m tempted to go back to using static pages.
I thought we agreed all of Mr. Ray’s comments should be held. 🙂
Well it did me today. I just wanna be in the in-crowd.
All the “good” posters get moderated while the rest of us derps can say anything:
fuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuck
fuckfuckfuckfuck
Hey, I used to be a moderator here 14 years ago!!
Exclusive: Trump Operative Roger Stone Survives Assassination Attempt
Our resident “eternal optimist” might not be paranoid after all! Who knew? 🙂
Who is that eternal optimist bastard? He’s got a lotta nerve!
https://theintercept.com/2017/01/11/the-deep-state-goes-to-war-with-president-elect-using-unverified-claims-as-dems-cheer/
They’re trying hard to eliminate tRump by Whatever Means.
And guys like Roger Stone have been a real PITA for them over the years. Why not whack him out, too?
@RBT
The Discussion settings look OK. The problem may be the “Comment author must have a previously approved comment” and how it interacts with the user.
That setting keys in on the email address that is entered by the commenter. If they don’t use the same one (exactly) each time, then the comment will be moderated.
So if the email address entered has a typo, or is different from one that has been used (and approved) beforehand, the comment will go into moderation.
Of course, you could turn off moderation. Then you wouldn’t have to approve any at all.
Currently, the “Comment author must have a previously approved comment” is enabled.
Or if I’m posting alot, and obviously at my desk, just let me know I should check moderation periodically, and I can let them out…..
nick
“Battery with inbuilt ‘fire extinguisher’ developed”
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38637357
Great idea. And I am scared that this is needed. Wait until the ultra capacitor batteries come out (they want to discharge immediately instead of slowly).
Wot Mr. Nick said; if U C me rattling around in here a lot with my tedious and pessimistic and paranoid chit, bang on the door and I’ll let ’em out, too.
Speaking of pessimistic chit:
https://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/rent-a-bolshie/
Yeah, where does all that $ come from???
come reliably when he’s called
@Robert
This is hands down my favorite resource to teach an emergency recall.
https://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DTB813EBK
“I’m tempted to go back to using static pages.”
Please, please do. I liked the old site much better – perhaps two iterations back. All the week’s posts on a single page, newest at the bottom. I liked reading through from the top. Not that I am complaining about the free ice-cream in the current version, of course, and the comments feature is very nice – I enjoy reading about FLASHLIGHTS SHEEP and TOILETS.
Denis, if you’re interested in SHEEP you could communicate privately with SteveF. He has a PhD in Sheep Studies. He’s also trying to deal with a bad dose of scrapie, which he acquired a few years ago on a clandestine visit to the UK.
@mr Lynn,
If you didn’t get woken up by the flash flood warning, take a look at the flood gauge maps.
Keegans Bayou at Rourke is 1ft over banks (I 59 and Belfort)
You are gonna get some water headed your way.
n
@Jenny
Thanks. I may give that a try if things don’t work out the way I’m doing them now.
Test to see if I get moderated. My name and email is autofilled by Chrome. I wonder if that is the problem?
A few shows to consider. As I’ve said before, I am a big fan of Orphan Black from BBC America and on Amazon Prime, IIRC. The Amazon Prime series Bosch is really good. They have done two seasons and the acting is great. Based on a highly regarded series of crime novels. We just started watching Mr. Robot from AMC and it’s very good. A series about a man who works at a network security company and freelances at night as a vigilante hacker. Unlike most shows on hackers, they get the tech and culture right.
I wonder if the email, which in my case has not changed, is case sensitive.
Now to lower case the first letter, basically back to where it was. The previous comment was not moderated and the first letter was lower case.
Same browser, always Chrome.
Nope, does not seem to make a difference. But now I am not being moderated. (Contrary to what some other low life stated should happen, won’t mention names, am I right MrAtoz?).
I wonder if switching browsers would help…
So maybe y’all can explain something to me. I was listening to the gnashing of teeth, when Trump apparently indicated that he didn’t want any more government funds to go to fund Planned Parenthood.
I had no idea that the federal government was in the business of donating taxpayer money to nonprofits. A very small bit of searching turned up the fact that the average nonprofit has seven government grants from four different federal departments.
WTF? Why is the government funding charities? What possible legal basis exists for that?
@mr Lynn,
If you didn’t get woken up by the flash flood warning, take a look at the flood gauge maps.
Keegans Bayou at Rourke is 1ft over banks (I 59 and Belfort)
You are gonna get some water headed your way.
We are good. We have this extremely large bayou by our house and office. Some people call it the Brazos River. It has come up ten foot and will go up another 4 or 5 ft in the next 24 hours, from 12 ft to 25 ft. It has to get to 60 ft before I get worried about my house, it was 54 ft this last summer. The all time record is 60 ft in 1913.
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=HGX&gage=RMOT2
Brays Bayou is going to have to be expanded. All that construction on the west side of the Houston metroplex is just dumping tremendous amounts of water on the water shed. Got a 3/4 billion dollars in your pocket ?
https://www.projectbrays.org/
Shoot, my back pond (1 acre) at the office is not even full. Yet. It has another foot to go before it hits the spillway.
come reliably when he’s called
@Robert
This is hands down my favorite resource to teach an emergency recall.
https://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DTB813EBK
My Lady cannot hear anymore. So if she is not looking at you then she has no idea that you are yelling for her to come back. We keep a close watch on her outside the back yard. She is a homegirl though and her favorite thing is to be in the house, snoozing on the leather couch or her Sealy dog sofa.
“We’re running out of things to watch on TV.”
I like MASH (or M.A.S.H.). It’s my favorite series. I plan to watch it again in autumn, for the 5th time (I think). There 11 seasons with about 250 episodes. I let some time pass, before watching it again.
Yes, MASH was excellent. Do you get it subtitled or dubbed?
What I have is not dubbed. English subtitles can be activated, and sometimes I use them.
Fortunately, here in Romania the movies shown on TV are with the original soundtrack and romanian subtitles. Only kids movies get dubbed.
There was a M.A.S.H. marathon on one of our cable channels this past weekend. Too bad I could only stay awake for about 24 of the 48 hours.
MASH was good until the last few years, where they made all the characters cute and fuzzy.
IIRC, MASH purported to be concerned with a medical unit during the Korean War, but that was only a thin disguise for how it really meant Vietnam. I never got why the theme song was “Suicide is Painless,” either. I note also that two of the main actors were/are notorious Hollyweird libtards.
As for things to watch on the tee-vee; after the NFL season is over (Super Bowl) we’ll rarely look at it again, other than the occasional DVD or something from the Roku channel lineup, like Netflix. I see that when Princess visits here overnight, almost the first thing she wants to get going is the tee-vee, usually for lefty foreign flicks.
And she’s taking what would have ostensibly been her final semester OFF, ostensibly to WORK, and her mom tells me she intends to stay in Moh-ree-all and also WORK during the coming summer. I’ll believe it all when I see it. And this puts her graduation off again, until the end of this year, I guess. No one else seems concerned, though; we’ll just keep paying, year after year.
I never got why the theme song was “Suicide is Painless,” either
The dentist’s nickname was “Painless” and he wanted to commit suicide in the original MASH movie.
“Suicide is painless,
It brings on many changes,
And I can take or leave it if I choose…..”
They only used the version with words on the original movie. The series was just instrumental.
I thought it was funny, and the characters were very well done, but the endless depressing futility and enuii got to me as I got older. Like a lot of the literature of the period, there’s the overwhelming sense of pointlessness. Can’t really put up with that in my life.
n
Hot-Lips Houlihan today:
http://www.who2.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/lorettaswit-7-272×392.jpg
Not bad. Not bad at all, nosir.
Margaret: [referring to Hawkeye and Trapper] Those two are ruining this war… for ALL of us!