71F and 80%RH this morning. I know! I had to confirm it with a weather site… Don’t know what’s in store for us today but at least it’s different.
Tomorrow the family packs up and flies to the east coast for our biannual visit with family out there… We’re mostly going to be on Cape Cod, although we will be spending a couple of days with family around Boston.
As usual, I’m not looking forward to the travel, or being away from home. There is absolutely no way to be adequately prepared during this trip. We are at the mercy of the airlines, relatives (who think I’m a paranoid fool), and unfamiliar places and people.
To add insult to injury, I’ll be there too early for the Pageant of Steam AGAIN! (and not really close either)
Meanwhile, the world continues to slide toward the future.
n
Not just a fringe idea anymore–
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-23/jpmorgan-we-believe-dollar-could-lose-its-status-worlds-reserve-currency
CAT is considered a bellweather for the global economy–
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-24/cracks-are-showing-cat-shares-slump-lower-earnings-guidance-retail-sales-miss
n
Not just a fringe idea anymore–
To be replaced with what?
I’m not buying China or India. The political unrest in the former will boil over as soon as the money flows from the US stop, and the latter is a culture of lying and deception I’ve experienced first-hand both in grad school and reentering the tech industry.
A basket of currencies and including gold was the last thing I read….
n
Jeez, this doesn’t look like an omen or anything….
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7277257/Thunderstorms-leave-without-power-cause-flooding.html
n
I was just about to tell you to check if your hotel still has a roof. A storm like that this time of year is rare on the cape. Except for the occasional nomadic hurricane that wanders north.
Funny thing is, the FEMA national weather forecast had a storm moving up the coast, to hit that area around today. I guess it got there early.
n
A break from Summer.
High yesterday was only 80f and this morning dawned clear and 64f. We have a couple of days respite from the oppressive Mississippi heat and humidity and are enjoying it. I turned off the AC yesterday and opened all the windows. I may be able to keep them open for a couple of days till the misery returns. Took the little great granddaughter down to the neighborhood lake yesterday evening for a swim. The water was bathtub warm and very nice. I just wish it had been clean but it is what it is. We had fun.
I turned in my official notice yesterday of my intention to retire at the end of the year. No going back now. I need to get some essential repairs done to the house before we can put it up on the market. Mainly we have to replace the master bath shower stall. I have reached out to 7 local firms both by telephone (voicemail) and on-line. Only one has bothered to come out and give me an estimate. Is business so good I wonder that people can blow off opportunities?
Growing list of to-dos that MUST be done if we want to relocate to the Bogey house in January. Work needs to be done on the Bogey house too. At minimum we need to replace the electric cooktop with the gas one I bought from Lowes and upgrade the master bath commode to a “chair height” one. That’s not easy because all bathroom fixtures are black porcelain and getting a black commode is special order.
We will be trailering the wifes sports car, a 1993 Honda Del Sol, down in Sept to leave it in the Bogey garage. And we plan on taking a UHaul truck full of non-essentials at Thanksgiving. Living of the bare necessities from then till the end of December. All dates are fairly flexible so we will see how things go. At least we have solid if not blazingly fast internet at the Bogey house. I figure we can live with 100mbps. We had much less living in New Zealand and a 5 GB data cap as well. In Hong Kong there was fiber to the apartment and city-wide WiFi so connectivity was never an issue. No wonder they are fighting Chinese control so hard. Most of our friends there have already left.
Regarding loss of the Dollars world-reserve status. A few years back I bought “The Death of Money” by James Rickards which explains clearly what we can expect when the dollar looses it reserve status. Not much of it is good. I recommend this book for those interested in this topic. On the positive side, when the US Dollar is no longer the world reserve currency the US government can no longer enforce US regulations on foreign banks. Currently, the Feds are using their leverage to force foreign banks to produce reporting on all US nationals with bank accounts. This onerous reporting demand is causing many banks to refuse service to Americans and even close existing accounts. This is a disaster for the expat community who want to live and do business abroad. As a former expat I am very sensitive to this.
As usual, I’m not looking forward to the travel, or being away from home. There is absolutely no way to be adequately prepared during this trip.
Don’t forget the TSA and their randomly taking your carry-on shit. “That milspec can opener is a *blade*.” Fuck you, TSA.
My last two flights involving the TSA were a non event. Even with my screwup of not having the correct boarding pass. The agent was pleasant with my error. I had TSA precheck which really helps. Shoes on, computer in bag, belt left on. Emptied my pockets into my carry on camera bag beforehand. Took less than 10 minutes to get through at BNA and PDX. Precheck is the big difference as people in those lines have traveled before and know what to expect.
A basket of currencies and including gold was the last thing I read….
Who is going to hold the basket ?
My last two flights involving the TSA were a non event. Even with my screwup of not having the correct boarding pass.
The wife and I added “CLEAR” for traveling. Just getting out of ORD saved us 30 minutes of TSA pre the lines are so long. Also saved a lot of waiting other places.
CAT is considered a bellweather for the global economy–
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-24/cracks-are-showing-cat-shares-slump-lower-earnings-guidance-retail-sales-miss
As China gets a cold, CAT gets pneumonia ?
https://finance.yahoo.com/m/de0bedaf-66c3-3ab4-a3ee-bb5a6207a75a/caterpillar-posts-weak.html
The USA tariffs are rippling through the world economy. Especially China.
Wow, it is 82 F here in the Land of Sugar at noon in July.
https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/tx/richmond?cm_ven=localwx_10day
We are all going to die.
“The truth will out”
From Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, 1596
https://comicallyincorrect.com/a-f-branco-cartoon-yes-we-cage/
Currently 94F in my driveway and only 80-something in the shade. RH is 43%. Absolutely gorgeous day.
n
10:30 am and 89F here. Yesterday the monsoon weather came all the way across the Mojave and we had some rain with 104F high. Fairly miserable. No clouds today so far and 105F predicted. Moving up each day and 107F for Friday. It is July. Use the pool.
News is polluted with Mueller saying little and lots of bloviating a$$holes.
Suckers. 70º and partly cloudy. I stepped out of my office & wasn’t knocked over by the heat & humidity. Nice.
News is polluted with Mueller saying little and lots of bloviating a$$holes.
If I had to guess, Mueller was probably doing schtick to buy time. Congress will adjourn for summer recess, and a month is a long time in the modern news cycle.
We could be at war in a month … or Ginsberg could pass … or — you can speculate as well as I can.
“Will going electric help Ford win the pickup truck segment’s towing war? ”
https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/ford-plans-electric-hybrid-versions-of-the-f-150-pickup-truck/
I look forward to the Hybrid F-150. I read a rumor that it could go 80 mph for 60 miles on pure electric for less than $3,000 extra cost.
News is polluted with Mueller saying little and lots of bloviating a$$holes.
Absolutely fascinating to watch the vile Dem congresscritters desperately trying to belatedly find something–anything–with which to tar Trump.
It’s over, guys!
Added: Heh.
A basic function of government, completely non-functional–
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7281749/Serial-felon-arrested-throwing-coffee-baby-just-two-days-released-jail.html
70 convictions. Still walking around. Could have been hot coffee, could have been acid.
n
Speaking of failures, “teens” again…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7279579/Horrifying-video-shows-group-teen-girls-attacking-15-year-old-special-needs-Chicago.html
n
Pretty soon there will be no one left with direct experience–
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7281761/Last-survivor-Auschwitz-convoy-escaped-death-camp-1943-died-age-96.html
n
Speaking of failures, “teens” again…
Rabid, feral “children”, running in packs.
Yet somehow, these stories are only reported in the British media.
Black teens, of course. Let’s not mention that. The inner city ghetto’s dominate the big cities. Welfare. Free shit, etc. Gov Nuisance wants to be President to *GET OUT OF” Kali. An unsolvable problem in the welfare state known as the FUSA. Calling Marko Kloos, Calling Marko Kloos!
I put iPadOS Beta 3 on my 11″ iPad Pro this morning. Primarily to see if I could access external drives. Success! I’m slowly trying my main apps to see if they work.
I have an Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 120 GB FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Validated 256-bit Encryption USB 3.0 Flash Drive (ASK3-120GB from Amazon. I keep my sooper secret documents (PDF’d) on it for travel. I just unlocked it and tried on the iPad. Success! I’m almost at the point I can travel for biz with just the iPad. External storage is going to make it possible.
We use Quickbooks Online for our accounting software. The new version of Safari on iOS devices allows full sites to load. QBO is looking good in that browser. The app is limited. Office works OK, but the main use if for PP presentations, and that works.
From the WSJ:
Tesla reported another quarterly loss as profit per car sold took a hit. Shares fell 10% after hours.
Black teens, of course. Let’s not mention that.
Dont’cha know it’s un-PC to call a spade a spade?
Tsk!
From the WSJ:
“Tesla reported another quarterly loss as profit per car sold took a hit. Shares fell 10% after hours.”
Time to shake down another traditional car company for “carbon credits”.
Dodge was up last time because it also needed to be punished for pushing Government Motors down to #3 in truck sales, making Silverado pickups from GM Arlington into rental lot fodder across Texas.
I listened to Muller excerpts on sat radio while running errands. He sounds like he suffered a mini stroke. Old and doddering. The Dumbos can’t stop beating the GET tRUMP horse. They may lose in a landslide in 2020.
I listened to Muller excerpts on sat radio while running errands. He sounds like he suffered a mini stroke. Old and doddering. The Dumbos can’t stop beating the GET tRUMP horse. They may lose in a landslide in 2020.
Muller bought time for himself with that schtick.
The Dumbos can’t stop beating the GET tRUMP horse. They may lose in a landslide in 2020.
Never interrupt the enemy when he is making a mistake!
I listened to Muller excerpts on sat radio while running errands. He sounds like he suffered a mini stroke. Old and doddering. The Dumbos can’t stop beating the GET tRUMP horse. They may lose in a landslide in 2020.
Muller bought time for himself with that schtick.
Muller spent $50 million of the government’s money investigating Trump and all of his buddies. Muller needs to pay that $50 million back now.
And ol’ Bernie Madoff wants Trump to commute his sentence. Like that is going to happen. With 140 years to go, Bernie’s skeleton is going to be chained to a prison wall somewhere.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/24/bernard-madoff-asks-trump-to-reduce-prison-sentence-for-ponzi-scheme.html
R.I.P Rutger Hauer.
Have a good/safe trip Nick. Don’t forget to send us a “wish you were here” postcard.
I have been traveling with just a bluetooth keyboard and a galaxynote 10.1 and despite browser issues, it has been doing the job. I let the battery get too low and when I checked it just now, it won’t boot. It’s on the charger, but I think I’m going to be carrying a lappy this trip.
I’ll be gone 9 days so I might want the extra capability anyway, but I sure don’t like the extra weight.
n
And ol’ Bernie Madoff wants Trump to commute his sentence. Like that is going to happen. With 140 years to go, Bernie’s skeleton is going to be chained to a prison wall somewhere.
Something happened with his wife getting more of her assets stripped this summer.
I’ll bet Bernie has a stash offshore and Ruth is getting tired of driving that Prius.
The Madoff miniseries starring Richard Dreyfuss is fun. It really was interesting psychology and manipulation of a particular demographic which allowed him to get away with it for so long. I’d by lying if I said that I really felt bad for his “victims”, but I understand that some extremely wealthy people lost everything.
Wealthy people don’t place everything in one investment. (well I guess there may be a few stoopid ones)
ProgLibTurd Mullerism of the day: “non-exonerated.”
200+ years of law down the toilet. Non-exonerated can be applied to anyone. Cankles for instance. Oh, the rest of the Mullerism: “doesn’t apply to ProgLibTurds.”
I believe the whole Muller investigation was to get tRump. $50 million failure. Muller also said “Russian hacking/interference going on right now.” But no solution, of course. Obola did nothing, Congress is doing nothing. Raycisss is the Dumbo’s platform for 2020.
Tucker Carlson starts tonight’s show with…
‘Never meet your heroes. They’ll only disappoint you.’
Great. Just great.
I’d by lying if I said that I really felt bad for his “victims”, but I understand that some extremely wealthy people lost everything.
Kyra Sedgewick and Kevin Bacon reputedly lost a large portion of their life savings with Bernie:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kyra-sedgwick-unloads-bernie-madoff-piers-morgan-346073
and
https://www.biography.com/news/bernie-madoff-famous-victims
Something happened with his wife getting more of her assets stripped this summer.
I’ll bet Bernie has a stash offshore and Ruth is getting tired of driving that Prius.
“Madoff’s wife and high school sweetheart, Ruth, was never implicated in her husband’s crimes. Nonetheless, she agreed to forfeit some $75 million in assets held in her name, including the couple’s Upper East Side apartment. The settlement with federal prosecutors left her with $2.5 million, which reportedly allows her to lead a comparatively modest lifestyle in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/09/heres-what-became-of-bernie-madoffs-inner-circle.html
That is stolen money. No mention of her entire assets being seized this summer in the news.
And I will bet that she has a stash somewhere too.
“Boeing said on Wednesday that it was considering halting production of the 737 Max if the grounding of its most popular plane persists, a move that could damage airlines, suppliers and even the United States economy.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/business/boeing-earnings-737-max.html
Man those engines look really far forward in that picture.
Why make something that you cannot sell ?
And I will bet that she has a stash somewhere too.
Jewelry. Read Rick Harrison’s (“Pawn Stars”) book.
jewelry has always been a store of portable wealth.
n
So, guess where I’m going to be for the next week?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7277257/Thunderstorms-leave-without-power-cause-flooding.html
Yup. We have a couple of days at my in-laws for them to get the power back on and any mess cleaned up…
n
If you’ve never been there, budget a day for Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. I was there 30 years ago, and it was a marvelous experience.
https://www.mysticseaport.org/
@ken, thanks for the reminder. I was there in the late 70s as a teen. I like hands on re-creations, and living museums, and I remember the cooper working there.
I’m not really sure what the wife has planned. I’m just along for the ride, and because I’m not in control, I have to REALLY not be in control and just compartmentalize everything. Otherwise I go nuts.
I hope we have some stuff like that and not just hanging out with her family. They are a fun bunch if you are drinking, but less so if you are sober…
And their politics are mostly very left. And they’re into the sportsball and golf, so we don’t really have much to talk about.
n
” Rabid, feral “children”, running in packs.
Yet somehow, these stories are only reported in the British media. ”
True enough… if you consider the reporting in “British media” such as:
CBS
Chicago Sun Times
Chicago Tribune
Fox
NBC
USA Today / Gannett
WGN
WLS
etc.
@ spook, I think he means “in general” rather than this specific story. CNN’s coverage of Fergason was egregious. All of them use “gun” violence rather than “gang” violence (although I’ve noticed more honesty from the Chicago papers on the topic.) All of them use ‘youths’ or ‘teens’ rather than more descriptive words… it’s almost like they want to skew any keyword searches.
Video of the attack makes a difference, as does the ‘special needs’ status of the victim. This being yet another ‘special needs’ victim of ‘youths’ in Chicago (remember the kid tortured in the name of anti-Trump) resonates too.
My overall impression is that most of the MSM will mention a story, often “way down the page” so that future search results will show they ‘covered’ it, without any context for the coverage. Very few will give stories about black violence the prominence that DM or other non-US outlets do.
n