37F and breezy today, bit of an overcast.
12F in Korea last night for the Olympics. That’s cold.
Watched men’s biathalon. I like biathalon because I can’t imagine the training to be able to shoot like that, and because the medals are up for grabs. Last olympics the world favorite and ‘grand old man’ came in dead last. This year, the three guys who had dominated the results all year ALL shot poorly and missed out on medals. That made for a much more exciting finish as people realized they had a chance to actually medal.
Also watched a bit of figure skating, ice dancing, and snowboarding. Which leads me to the title of this post. I’m a grumpy old man. Yup. Watching those punk kids doing skateboard tricks on the snow IN THE OLYMPICS brought it home. And they are GOOD, they are extraordinary athletes, and they are exciting to watch. Another thing that brought it home was when the russian female figure skater made the Sign of the Cross as she left the ice. I remember very well when that would have gotten her sent off to Siberia, figuratively if she was lucky, in actuality if not. 30 or more years ago. Sheesh I’m feeling old today.
nick
-shrug- I acknowledge the athleticism, but don’t give them any points for their chosen sport or the time and dedication they applied to it. Snowboarding and most other sports are useless activities. They’re fine for recreation, but sinking the time, money, and pain into becoming good at them is ridiculous.
Catholic or Orthodox?
Orthodox. And she was young enough, she wasn’t born yet when it would have been an issue.
n
Ah-hah! You fell into my trap! Admit it: You were checking out her boobs when she did it.
None of them have boobs anymore. I used to think the ice dancers and most of the figure skaters had the best proportioned and healthiest looking bodies in sports, but they’ve all gotten super skinny too.
n
I’m all for freedom of association. No ifs ands or buts.
If this is legal, and desirable, I want to see the same in reverse.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5380463/White-free-Costa-Rican-healing-retreat-women-color.html
“White people not welcome: Costa Rican ‘healing’ retreat offers women of color a break from caucasians
The getaway location in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, has banned white people
Guests enjoy yoga, meditation and vegan food in the retreat run by Andrea X
Founder Andrea X thinks white people should be banned from owning passports
She ‘completely cut out white people’ from her life due to ‘damage’ they caused”
So who’s the racist hater again??
n
Filed my taxes electronically today. I expect the refund will be in my bank account by Friday. The only unknown is if I was affected by the Equifax hack that stole lots of information on a lot of people. I am hoping not. You have to provide driver license numbers and dates from the license to file electronically. I am guessing this is an attempt to avoid fraud.
Turns out I will be getting a refund in spite of the Obuttwadcare fiasco. Seems that you can contribute to an IRA and that comes off your income before the income is counted towards the amount you must pay after the the subsidy. Thus if your income is $40K and you are at 315% of the poverty level, you can contribute $13K to an IRA and get your income to $27K and you are now at 200% of poverty level. (numbers made up but you get the idea).
This also means that I not only get back the little amount that was deducted for my two part time jobs, I also get money back from excess health insurance premiums that were paid. The subsidy for my wife should have been higher.
I suspect this was a loophole that the FEDs did not consider when doing the tax forms as they consider your adjusted gross income rather than you combined income. But they do add in your SS income and dividend and interest income to compute the value used to determine premiums.
Odd this year that my AGI is less $8K but my itemized deductions are more than $23K. I probably did not even need to itemize as my income is well below any taxation level. But I really enjoy seeing a ZERO on line 43 of the 1040A. First time since I started filing taxes in 1969.
Which brings me to another confusing point. In 2016 when I signed up on the exchange my wife’s premiums were $450 a month. I used the proper income levels and without the IRA deduction it would have been spot on for premiums.
When I signed up in 2017 for this year, using the exact same income amounts which I don’t expect to change, the premiums are $3.45 a month. Same policy type, second lowest silver plan, as last year. Same income as last year.
Why the almost $450.00 a month reduction in the premium. Policy is even more expense, $1400 a month this year verses $1200 a month for last year. Did the amounts change because of her age being 63 this year? Was there an error in the health exchange web site? I double checked my numbers when I saw the massive drop in premiums.
I have this fear that for 2018 taxes it will be determined that I was short $500 a month in what I should have paid and be slammed with a $6K tax bill. And the resulting penalties, and the quarterly tax payments, and closer scrutiny by the IRS.
She ‘completely cut out white people’ from her life due to ‘damage’ they caused”
She should also ban all contributions white people have made to her life. Lose the cell phone and all electricity. Lose any sort of vehicle transportation. Lose all weaponry except for a spear and blow gun. Lose all her clothing (sorry about that image). Go back to living in the jungle in a bamboo hut chasing buzzards from her next meal.
Then she can really be free of that evil whitey that has made her life so miserable.
Well, I guess we can zero out this budget line item. (I couldn’t easily dig up 2018 numbers.) $1.8M is not much in the US budget, but I can use it better than a government which allows such a repulsively racist policy.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5379865/Skating-sensation-Adam-Ripponwins-bronze-team-USA.html
[translation of entire article–]
“me, me, me me me me eme memememememememememememmme
!!!111!!!1111 look at me I made poopy11!!11!!!11!!!!11″”
“Gay skating sensation Adam Rippon will BOYCOTT White House party for Team USA in protest at ‘homophobic’ administration after also refusing to meet Mike Pence in South Korea”
“Rippon is popular on social media and is the first openly-gay Winter Olympian” [SRSLY????????]
“In preparation for South Korea he revealed: ‘I packed every healing crystal I could.'”
[OMG]
n
She ‘completely cut out white people’ from her life due to ‘damage’ they caused”
The other night, “TMZ” was on as background noise after our local news, and the subject turned to the SpaceX launch.
One of the assembled segment producers asked, “Is SpaceX smarter than NASA?”
Another producer responded, “Look at the video of the launch. It is all 25 to 40 year-old white guys at SpaceX.”
I’m not sure if that was meant as criticism or an observation. The show’s editors cut the rest of the conversation in such a way that the slant of the segment turned into criticism of the SpaceX accomplishment without diversity in the control room.
No wonder TMZ was one of the pieces of Time-Warner that AT&T wanted to sell if the merger deal went through.
It is all 25 to 40 year-old white guys.
I say basically the same thing when watching basketball. “It is all 25 to 40 year old black guys.” However the producer’s response is racist, mine is affirmative action.
The white male is a doomed species.
And in other news, the IRS accepted my return. Less than one hour after filing through Turbo Tax. Thus not impacted by the Equifax breach. Should have the money by Friday. Electronic filing is the only way to file taxes in my opinion.
” Go back to living in the jungle in a bamboo hut chasing buzzards from her next meal.”
What about getting along without male tribal chiefs and witch doctors?
This all fits in with Moochelle rambling a while back about all those old WHITEY! people who just have to die off. That’ll fix everything. All will run smoothly around the World when WHITEY! dies.
I saw a video about a village in Africa that was created without adult males by a bunch of women who were victims of sexual abuse. I must be a sexist pig because I was wondering how they raise boys without positive male role models. That and I wondered why any mother who cares about her son would live in a village where your son gets kicked out when he becomes a man.
Or in the western world, where do 13 to 17 year old homeless males go? Shelters typically don’t have provisions for families to live as intact units. So the children go with mom, and the adult males go somewhere else. That leaves no place for 13 to 17 year old males. They aren’t children who can go with mom, and they can’t go with the adult males, because any group of homeless homeless adult males will invariably include registered sex offenders.
Here I go being a straight white male, but this sounds like a place I don’t want to go. Especially because I refuse to believe that anyone in their right mind “enjoys” vegan food.
Look at the video of the launch. It is all 25 to 40 year-old white guys at SpaceX.
Which isn’t true. There are significant numbers of Asians and a somewhat higher than normal number of other minorities.
I was away travelling, and when I got back, I saw the news of Robert’s demise. I am very sad, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to Barbara, and to all RBT’s friends and readers.
I never had the good fortune to meet the gentleman, but I did read his site practically every day, and I probably started doing that almost twenty years ago, when I was still buying the build a PC books by him and Barbara. I have the chemistry labs book on the shelf, and I very much hope that a posthumous prepping guide will see the light of day. Apart from the dead-tree books, RBT and Jerry Pournelle were fixed poles in my daily reading online too. Inspirational giants both, and I miss them very much.
Thank you to Nick, SteveF and all the community here for keeping the lights on. I think the group of commenters is exceptional and precious (though I rarely have much to say, myself).
I have been wondering where (other than keeping-on-keeping-on here) RBT and JP’s readers might find a new intellectual home on the internet? I recall asking RBT that when Jerry died, and he didn’t have a suggestion then. Perhaps some of you do now? The eclectic mix of serious and whimsical, with the surprising, interesting, fascinating and funny is hard to find.
On watching the Winter Olympics – I too enjoy the biathlon. As a shooter, I can hardly believe how the athletes manage to hit anything at all – let alone hardly ever miss – after such physical exertion, and I also enjoy the fact that the pre-match favourites do not always win, which makes the sport seem a fair and open one.
Regards to all!
“That and I wondered why any mother who cares about her son would live in a village where your son gets kicked out when he becomes a man.”
Checkout Hildale, UT and Colorado City, AZ where 80% of boys get kicked out in upper teen years.
Yes, but those are male dominated communities. I guess in both cases, they are kicking out the male threat to their power.
“Look at the video of the launch. It is all 25 to 40 year-old white guys at SpaceX.”
Which isn’t true. There are significant numbers of Asians and a somewhat higher than normal number of other minorities.
I saw a few 50 to 60-something faces too. SpaceX is more diverse than Facebook or Google in that regard.
“Yes, but those are male dominated communities. I guess in both cases, they are kicking out the male threat to their power.”
Has to do with polygamy. When 20 – 25% of the favored are allowed multiple wives, the unfavored must leave.
I can barely keep one wife happy, wtf would I do with multiples?
n
(of course with most of these guys it’s really about pedophilia and the younger wives)
of course with most of these guys it’s really about pedophilia and the younger wives
My wife treated a lot of Apostolic Lutherans in SW WA State. Not as much polygamy among that group, but they do prefer the wives young, barefoot, and pregnant.
The girls reminded me of Margene on “Big Love”.
Huh, never heard of them, but the desire for wives and girlfriends that are young and health is fairly universal among men. Where you draw the line with “young” and what you value with “healthy” can vary quite a bit. Very few hetero males could avoid looking at 15 to 25 year old females in a swimsuit as they walk by. They may then think different things, (governed by the age of their own daughters) but the looking part is built in.
n
FIFY
I was in downtown Indy late one night for Gencon and saw three young women who worked for Tilted Kilt walking to their car. As I was looking, I was tempted complement them for walking together. Either that or ask if their fathers knowingly let them out of house dressed like that. I looked for a very long time. If you don’t know Tilted Kilt is like Hooters but better.
“Tilted Kilt is like Hooters but better.”
How could the hot wings possibly be better?
n
Someone painted a portrait of a woman, and not M. Obamma, and no one is fooled.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5381467/The-Obamas-portraits-unveiled-National-Gallery.html
of the artist–“She often paints black skin tones in shades of gray to remove ‘color’ from her subjects, according to CNN.
She told the Ledger-Enquirer that her paintings look at every day people from new perspectives.
‘I’m painting the paintings that I want to see in museums,’ she said. ‘And I’m hopefully presenting them in a way that’s universal enough that they become representative of something different than just a black body on a canvas.'”
n
“Many on social media said that Mrs Obama’s portrait didn’t look like the former first lady
John Legend’s wife Chrissy Teigen was among the many to tweet about Mrs Obama’s portrait
‘Amy Sherald should have met Michelle Obama before making that portrait,’ one user wrote.
Others went so far as to criticize the artist’s skill, comparing the work to a kid’s art project.
‘Okay legit that Michelle Obama portrait looks like a sketch by a sixth grader,’ Twitter user Ashley Rae wrote.”
“
The wings wear short skirts instead of short shorts.
lol! No way that is The Mooch in that portrait.
I wish Mr. OFD could weigh in.
Someone painted a portrait of a woman, and not M. Obamma, and no one is fooled.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5381467/The-Obamas-portraits-unveiled-National-Gallery.html
Rush Limbaugh’s comment this morning was about Obola’s advocacy of man-spreading and all of those marijuana plants that he is sitting in.
I kind of like the picture. No, it’s not portrait-quality work. But it looks enough like her that I’ll recognize it as the former First Lady. The set of the jaw, the eyes, the shoulders.
I kind of like the picture. No, it’s not portrait-quality work. But it looks enough like her that I’ll recognize it as the former First Lady. The set of the jaw, the eyes, the shoulders.
The portrait uses a little creativity, definitely. However, too accurate, and the image would have immediately brought to mind the Joan Rivers quote about Mrs. Obama looking “tranny”.
The Adam’s Apple, the bulge that the skirt doesn’t hide…
ech says:
Look for Arduino kits. Most use protyping boards and plug in modules so little to no soldering needed. I have my eye on this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Elegoo-EL-KIT-001-Project-Complete-Tutorial/dp/B01CZTLHGE/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1518239373&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=arduino+starter+kit&psc=1
I’m trying to reboot electronics hobbying after a year. I got the Elegoo Mega 2560 Complete and the 37 Sensor Kit. That should keep me busy.
Also going to restart Python and eventually build a site on my server to play with.
For once, my “fortune” at Cafe Goo Goo Yen at lunch today nailed my life.
“When you’re not afraid to do it wrong the first time, you’ll eventually get it right.”
Yup, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results every time.
When you play with the sonar range finder, power it straight from the VCC line (battery or whatever), not from the Arduino. The Arduino can’t push enough power and your effective detection range will be about six inches. Ask me how I know!
Thanks for the tip, SIR!
Or in the western world, where do 13 to 17 year old homeless males go?
I don’t know where you live, but in small towns, there are decent foster homes, single families, who don’t do such a bad job. Not for money, really… just decent folk. I won’t go into why I know, but ‘strooth, as OFD might say.
Saw a movie on Amazon Prime I missed, and it was so sly and funny I think one or two people here might like it. _Evolution_ 2001. Started out as sci-fi, and still is, but has enough dry, sly one-liners it gave me the giggles. Reminded me of _Young Frankenstein_ and _Airplane_.
Anyone taken Prednisone? Freaking nightmare, even at 5 mg, every 3-4 days. Makes me goofy as hell, hypomanic. Can’t think of damn thing to calm me down, and I ain’t going the whole doctor route. Maybe another corticosteroid, withOUT they psych effects?
Anyone taken Prednisone?
I have taken it on occasion, when my joints have gotten really bad and I absolutely cannot move. It’s a wonder drug and I’ll take the side effects any day.
My Wife has to take it regularly due to her asthma. It has literally been a life savor. She also uses all the extra energy to vacuum the carpets to death and super clean the bathrooms.
Ugh. If any medicine had the side effect of making me want to clean, I’d never take it again.
Don’t take prednisone unless you really have to. One of my co-workers took it for a bad case of poison oak, and it destroyed both of his hips. He had to have them replaced. I’ve had presnisone a few times with no ill effects. I think the side effects strongly depend on the individual.
I have taken Prednisone in the past to clear up a skin condition. Usually it is 2-5 days to clear up my skin. Follow-on (and longer term) is a topical ointment – “temovate” is what my first doctor called it. It’s really clobetasol propionate – which works well for me. When I do have it on hand, I don’t need prednisone to knock out the rash.
I use it only for symptoms (skin rash) in reaction to those things I’m allergic to. It’s a severe allergy, but if I keep my skin moist (wintertime) a single tube will last a couple of years, which is longer than the tube is officially good for.
@Dad
LOL, yeah, it’s great. I take it for my joints too, but the side effects– Oy!
I don’t get cleaning mania, except for my records. Discwasher could make a bundle off me if they knew how.
I’m immune to poison oak, but an interesting observation, Jim M. Long story about that immunity, BTW.
I have taken Prednisone in the past to clear up a skin condition.
Me too. It did not work for my problem. Turned out that I have PLC, Pityriasis Lichenoides Chronica. I’ve been taking tetracycline and now doxycycline for over ten years to keep it at bay. Just 50 mg/day. My last flareup was six months ago.
Of course, with an infection rate of one in 100,000 in the USA, this means that I am a very special person. There are just 3,000 of us in the USA.
PLC is a known precursor of non Hodgekin’s Lymphoma. Of which, my dad has had four times now. So, I am fairly interested in this.