Wed. Mar. 2, 2022 – … so don’t feel sad, two out of three ain’t bad.

By on March 2nd, 2022 in decline and fall, ebay, personal, WuFlu

Cold again, maybe.  Or maybe just cool.   The pattern has been starting cold and getting warmer, but it was only 48F when I went to bed, not <40F so we may be starting from “cool”.  We’re supposed to be sunny and clear for a few days in any case.

I did some pickups yesterday, and spent a few hours sorting through my storage unit that got burgled.  I took about 6 bins to my local guy, with the promise I can bring him more on Thursday.  I could take him more than that… and I didn’t even get through all the stuff in that unit.

Traffic was horrible in the afternoon.   Several of our major expressways were jammed for miles by a whole bunch of concurrent wrecks.   I was glad it was unrelated incidents and not one big one.  Shows where my mind is at that I considered something bigger than a simple traffic accident.   In my defense, by the time the tollway is backed up for miles, you rarely see 2 fire trucks and an ambulance responding.  They’ve usually gotten there long before, so if you see them in transit, it’s the second wave for something big.

Still no word on the BOL.

Today’s plan is working at my customer’s place.  I’d like to wrap that up and invoice.

Because money is good.

It lets you stack up goods.  Which everyone should be doing.   So do it.

nick

67 Comments and discussion on "Wed. Mar. 2, 2022 – … so don’t feel sad, two out of three ain’t bad."

  1. Greg Norton says:

    Looks like everyone that I voted for today won or took first place. Looks like Ken Paxton is going to have a runoff.

    Unfortunately with P. Diddly. Paxton has a problem.

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ken-paxton-and-george-p-bush-will-advance-to-may-runoff-in-texas-attorney-general-primary-cnn-projects/ar-AAUtSpY

    On the upside, "Engineer for Congress" lost once again. Those signs were at my polling place so three gerrymandered Congressional districts must intersect in the neighborhood. Crazy.

  2. Greg Norton says:

    Reminded me of a NSFW song by a folk artist, Dan Bern, I really like. He is a skilled writer, not all his songs are rude, but even his rude ones are intelligently crafted. 
    This particular song came to mind today. 
    NSFW. Or children probably. But will likely make you grin. 

    Performed in Tiger Woods backyard (in a figurative sense) on Sanibel.

  3. Chad says:

    Doesn't NASA run the ISS from Houston?

    One of the people we hired at the previous previous job came from NASA. He did a bunch of number crunching on health stats for the ISS crews.

    This made me think of something I read recently on astronauts bathing in space. Apparently, the stench in the Apollo capsules when they returned to Earth was almost unbearable until they had been aired out for several days. Likewise, astronauts report that the ISS has a very "lived in" smell to it.

  4. MrAtoz says:

    Beau….Beau….his flag dropped coffin. A war hero mentioned again.

  5. Nick Flandrey says:

    I decided to read the full text of Potato Joe's speech, and haven't gotten to the part where he starts falling apart, so IDK if it's a transcript or a script….

    So far this struck me..

    We are cutting off Russia´s largest banks from the international financial system. Preventing Russia´s central bank from defending the Russian Ruble making Putin´s $630 Billion 'war fund' worthless. We are choking off Russia´s access to technology that will sap its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come.

    Let's just take a look at that declaration of economic war against the russian people.

    We are cutting off Russia´s largest banks from the international financial system.

    – kinda, sorta, as US bankers have said there are work arounds, even if the russians and chinese don't use their new system.

    Preventing Russia´s central bank from defending the Russian Ruble making Putin´s $630 Billion 'war fund' worthless.

    –Also, coincidentally, making the savings, wages, pensions, and grocery money of the russian PEOPLE worth  less.  When it gets to 'worthless' who will the babushka in the street blame?  The US or Vlad?   I'm going with "US" for 100 Alex.

    We are choking off Russia´s access to technology that will sap its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come.

    how would you react if the EU did this to the US?  Would you blame Trump?  Or the EU?  No new computers or phones for YOU, you bad people.    "Sap its economic strength… for years to come."   IDK about you, but that sounds like fighting words to me.  Three years from now, when they are starving in the streets, who will they blame?

    We meet tonight in an America that has lived through two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced.

    –really?  Hardest years EVAH.  Huh.   I guess the old joke about Alzheimers Disease is true, the best thing about it is every day is a new day. 

    In fact – our economy created over 6.5 Million new jobs just last year, more jobs created in one year than ever before in the history of America.

    Our economy grew at a rate of 5.7% last year, the strongest growth in nearly 40 years,

    –how's it compare to 3 years ago, Joe?  

    We´ll create good jobs for millions of Americans, modernizing roads, airports, ports, and waterways all across America. And we´ll do it all to withstand the devastating effects of the climate crisis and promote environmental justice. We´ll build a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations, begin to replace poisonous lead pipes-so every child-and every American-has clean water to drink at home and at school, provide affordable high-speed internet for every American-urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities.

    –jebus H.  LEAD PIPES?

    I call it building a better America.

    –you could almost say he wants to "Make America Great Again."  Huh.

    And OMG, his plan to fight inflation is to "cut costs" by having government pay a bigger chunk of borrowed and taxed money for all kinds of things.   That isn't cutting costs, it's shifting who pays them to someone who has to borrow the money, which by definition INCREASES the costs. 

    Then there is the perfect example of why you don't let .gov camels stick  their noses in…   Government policies impoverish people and kill businesses (wuflu restrictions) so you GIVE people borrowed money, which they spend on non-productive (in the economic sense) activities.  Some of them STEAL the money thru fraud.  Now government gets to create a whole new infrastructure of .gov to "go after the fraudsters".  Wanna bet the new czar for pandemic fraud builds out a whole department?  Or that it goes away after they [fail to] recover the stolen funds?   Or that the costs of the enforcers will far exceed the value of recovered funds?

    The next two paragraphs are a grab bag of ideas, throw together, and ALL things Slo Joe could have done in the previous 50 years of his government "service".

    Then, yup, punish the profiteers.  Damn foreigners.  Price and wage controls coming up. 

    hire them based on their skills not degrees.

    –says the party of credentialism…  of collective bargaining, and 'protected classes'.

    We know how incredibly effective vaccines are. If you´re vaccinated and boosted you have the highest degree of protection. We will never give up on vaccinating more Americans. Now, I know parents with kids under 5 are eager to see a vaccine authorized for their children.

    — they know how incredibly PROFITABLE vaccines are.   Those same companies  are the ones without competition, and are profiteering,  and probably should be punished, and limited, and taxed, but I'm betting they won't be under the regime's plan.  That will be 'some other companies.'  Probably ones without largely unionized workforces.

    Jeez, I gotta stop.   Massive givaways to edu, teachers, unions, massive pork barrel projects, massive meddling in prices, wages, taxes, with an emphasis on punitive actions.  Right down party lines.

    n

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  6. Ray Thompson says:

    Those same companies are the ones without competition, and are profiteering

    Yet Spongebrain got on the meat packing companies stating there were only four major companies supplying most of the meat in this country. The lack of competition was bad and was causing high prices. Last I checked there were only three companies providing ALL of the vaccine in this country. Those companies are having record profits. And I suspect are paying no taxes on those profits. Something else Spongebrain was wanting to stop other companies doing.

  7. Nick Flandrey says:

    Aw man, come on….

    2A attacks and lies.  Freaking outright lies.    Then this whopper…

    The most fundamental right in America is the right to vote

    —  no Joe, it isn't. 

    I call on the Senate to: Pass the Freedom to Vote Act. 

    it's been my experience that legislation almost always does the opposite of what it's called.  So no.  Protect the vote by verifying citizenship and eligibility, and protect the count by making it open and verifiable.

    Oh jeez, more throwing in everything and the kitchen sink.  Abortion.  Let's try that paragraph with guns substituted, since guns are covered by an actual amendment…

    Advancing liberty and justice also requires protecting the rights of women. The constitutional right affirmed in Roe v. Wade-standing precedent for half a century-is under attack as never before. If we want to go forward-not backward-we must protect access to health care. Preserve a woman´s right to choose. And let´s continue to advance maternal health care in America.

    Advancing liberty and justice also requires protecting the rights of ALL CITIZENS. The constitutional right affirmed in THE BILL OF RIGHTS-standing precedent for TWO AND A half a centuryS-is under attack as never before. If we want to go forward-not backward-we must protect access to SELF DEFENSE. Preserve EVERYONES right to DEFEND THEIR LIFE.

    — added that "precedent" doesn't mean it is RIGHT.  Just means they did it like that before.

    Then the new "Agenda" that is 4 more things he just tosses out.

    This isn't a SOTU address, it's a CAMPAIGN  SPEECH.   The Dems are trying to sell their candidate and ideas with a bunch of promises, because they know they are in trouble.

    n

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  8. Greg Norton says:

    Jeez, I gotta stop.   Massive givaways to edu, teachers, unions, massive pork barrel projects, massive meddling in prices, wages, taxes, with an emphasis on punitive actions.  Right down party lines.

    The plaintive, wailing death throes of the beast. He'll be lucky to get the Supreme Court nominee through this year.

    I grew up around a Greek community in Florida, and every time I see Biden anymore, I see the face of those lambs tied up in the yards of the old houses in Tarpon Springs at Orthodox Easter, awaiting their fate.

    The cabal has Biden out in the yard tied to a tree. Easter Sunday is coming.

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  9. Chad says:

    The plaintive, wailing death throes of the beast. He'll be lucky to get the Supreme Court nominee through this year.

    Any Senator that doesn't vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson ASAP is a racist misogynist. 🙄

  10. EdH says:

    Traffic was horrible in the afternoon.   Several of our major expressways were jammed for miles by a whole bunch of concurrent wrecks.   I was glad it was unrelated incidents and not one big one.  Shows where my mind is at that I considered something bigger than a simple traffic accident.

    May I recommend “Metzgers Dog” in which a group shuts dow Los Angeles, using plans stolen from the CIA? 

    https://www.amazon.com/Metzgers-Dog-Novel-Thomas-Perry/dp/0812967747?tag=ttgnet-20

    A bit dated, what with mechanical switches in telephone centers, but a fun and rollicking read. Most of the early Thomas Perry are excellent novels.

  11. Nick Flandrey says:

    Oh yeah, it was a script, and no indication of if it is what he actually said, or attempted to say.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10567609/Text-President-Joe-Bidens-State-Union-address.html

    n

    Watched a couple of clips…

    Stumbles thru 'rust belt' section.

    Creepy whisper alert, lower costs!  "one way to decrease inflation is to drive down wages."  WTF?   And what does he think adding more workers to the pool will do to wages?  What has uncontrolled immigration done to wages in industries like construction?  Or semi-skilled healthcare?

    Yeah, let's 'make it in America'.  I'm all for that, but how you gonna do that with unskilled low wage labor?  No one in America is gonna live in company dorms to make memory chips…  And what about all the labor, and environmental regs?  or the burden of compliance?  or the burden of affirmative action?  or the lack of tariffs to "level the playing field"?  Tax the F out of chinese imports Joe. 

    More coughing.

    Oh yeah, the profiteering drug companies.   And diabetes.  No mention of simple things that could be done to reduce the number of diabetics in the US, just subsidize the 'treatment' while penalizing the manufacturers.

    gah, what a waste of my time.   I do like to go to primary sources though.

    Oooo, he turns into Angry Joe for that last paragraph.

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  12. nick flandrey says:

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/03/go-get-em-highlight-reel-joe-bidens-gaffes-confusion-complete-nonsense-video/

    –I'd have put in the creepy whisper, and I'm sure there were more slurred words than "manufacturing", but I can't sit thru an hour.

    Gets Ukrainians and Iranians mixed up, and mispronounces "Kiev", but he's gonna give old Vlad what for, by gum.

    n

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  13. nick flandrey says:

    Even as domestic markets remain close, Russian companies trading abroad continue to collapse in value. 

    This is evident in the Dow Jones Russia GDR Index, an index designed to track the top Russian Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) that trade on the London Stock Exchange. The index plunged a mindboggling 98% in just a few days and wiped out $572 billion from the market value of 23 stocks, including Gazprom PJSC, Sberbank of Russia PJSC, and Rosneft PJSC, according to Bloomberg

    –just buy the dip!

    –wonder if the retail investors made it to the exit?  Or were they holding onto their 'gains'…

    — ":Russian companies trading abroad continue to collapse in value. "  is misleading.   The value of the companies remained pretty much the same.  The synthetic financial instruments that allow gambling in a .gov approved marketplace however, they reverted to their NATURAL VALUE, ie very near zero.

    n

  14. nick flandrey says:

    Well, my day has been re-arranged.  local stuff today.  Maybe client tomorrow.

    n

  15. nick flandrey says:

    Matt Bracken – where was the outrage for NATO bombing of Bosnia?  Ok when we do it I guess.

    https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/100/368/157/original/4bfe9087a1e8ba9b.jpg

    n

  16. Clayton W. says:

    Matt Bracken – where was the outrage for NATO bombing of Bosnia?

    There is some truth to that.  I never felt we should have been involved in that conflict.  In fact, if the US had stayed out, I bet the European armies would have realized they did not have the armies they needed.

    Ditto bailing Europe out with smart bombs for the Libya offensive. 

  17. Alan says:

    >> Beau….Beau….his flag dropped coffin. A war hero mentioned again.

    @MrAtoz, Freudian slip? Or intentional??

  18. nick flandrey says:

    Nancy standing up rubbing her hands together when burn pits were mentioned…

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/03/last-night-nancy-pelosi-stood-cheered-biden-talked-soldiers-breathing-toxic-smoke-burn-pits/

    and even MSM can't quite cover anymore…  https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/03/strange-moment-end-andrea-mitchell-cant-figure-biden-ended-sotu-address-go-get-em-video/

    Or the other day when Dr Jill introduced Kamel as "President"

    n

  19. lynn says:

    "Drakon" by S. M. Stirling
        https://www.amazon.com/Drakon-S-M-Stirling/dp/0671877119?tag=ttgnet-20/

    Book number one of a two book science fiction series. There are also three indirectly related prequel books. I read the well printed and well bound MMPB published by Baen in 1996 that I bought on Amazon since I could not get a new copy, being out of print. I am going to pass on book two since it is a book of short stories about the Drakon and I do not do short story books.

    On a parallel universe Earth, it is the year 2442 AD. On this Earth, World War III occurred in 1999 between the massively bioengineered Homo Drakonsis and the Homo Sapiens. The Homo Drakonsis won and carefully bioengineered the Homo Sapiens into Homo Servus. The planet has less than a half billion population now with most industries in space scattered around the Solar System.

    In an FTL gateway experiment gone wrong, a female Drakon is transported to our Earth in the year 1995 AD. She lands in New York City, takes her bearings, and sets out to build a gateway back to her Earth so that the Drakon can invade and convert our Earth to look like her Earth with the Domination. After all, her 200 IQ and warrior skills enable her to find scientists and lead them also. But, a colony of Homo Sapiens from Alpha Centauri detect the interuniverse wormhole and send an agent to follow her.

    My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    Amazon rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (87 reviews)

  20. lynn says:

    Still no word on the BOL.

    Uh, who is hanging up the closing process ?  The Title Insurance people should be pressing hard to get the closing finished, they don't get paid until then.

  21. lynn says:

    Looks like everyone that I voted for today won or took first place. Looks like Ken Paxton is going to have a runoff.

    Unfortunately with P. Diddly. Paxton has a problem.

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ken-paxton-and-george-p-bush-will-advance-to-may-runoff-in-texas-attorney-general-primary-cnn-projects/ar-AAUtSpY

    Paxton got 43% of the vote.  George P. Bush got 23% of the vote.  I say that Paxton easily picks up the runoff.

        https://results.texas-election.com/races

    I have had it with the Bushes.  Just a bunch of RINOs.

  22. Greg Norton says:

    Paxton got 43% of the vote.  George P. Bush got 23% of the vote.  I say that Paxton easily picks up the runoff.

    It depends on how you look at the percentages. 57% voted against Paxton which isn't a good sign for an incumbent.

    Jeb!, P. Diddly's daddy, was an effective Governor in Florida up until the last year or so of his term, when he seemed to lose interest.

    Every subsequent generation after Great Granpappy P. seems to be increasingly detached from the offices they seek.

  23. lynn says:

    We´ll create good jobs for millions of Americans, modernizing roads, airports, ports, and waterways all across America. And we´ll do it all to withstand the devastating effects of the climate crisis and promote environmental justice. We´ll build a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations, begin to replace poisonous lead pipes-so every child-and every American-has clean water to drink at home and at school, provide affordable high-speed internet for every American-urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities.

    –jebus H.  LEAD PIPES?

    Yup, Michigan has a bunch of really poor minority communities with lead water pipes dating back over a 100 years ago.  We have only had PVC water pipes since the 1940s (a German invention).  All of the supply water pipes in the streets have been replaced but the pipes from the street to peoples houses are still lead.  It is a tremendous expense and the homeowners don't have the $5,000 per house to pay for the replacement.  Of course, they have money for gold teeth, fancy rims on their old Caddies, etc.

    https://www.jmeagle.com/early-history-pvc-pipe

    Recognize the tune of government spending ?  Build Back Better is back.  Of course, it is really Build Back Broke.

  24. Alan says:

    Re SOTU…

    First, thanks @nick for all the commentary…I just couldn't stomach watching him one more time.

    >> We are choking off Russia´s access to technology that will sap its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come.
    And why were we giving them access to our military technology in the first place?

    >> I call it building a better America.
    –you could almost say he wants to "Make America Great Again."  Huh.

    Some people would call that plagiarism on his part…so yeah.

    >> Jeez, I gotta stop.   Massive givaways to edu, teachers, unions, massive pork barrel projects, massive meddling in prices, wages, taxes, with an emphasis on punitive actions.  Right down party lines.
    Just gotta keep working to push the red party lines into the majorities come November.

    >> And I suspect are paying no taxes on those profits. Something else Spongebrain was wanting to stop other companies doing.
    Shoe doesn't fit so well on the other foot, huh Joe.

    >> Creepy whisper alert, lower costs!  "one way to decrease inflation is to drive down wages."
    Our Chick Fil A has the dining room closed becase they can't get people to work for $15 an hour…and he wants to cut wages??

    >> Yeah, let's 'make it in America'.  I'm all for that, but how you gonna do that with unskilled low wage labor?  No one in America is gonna live in company dorms to make memory chips…  
    And is Joe prepared if China makes a move on Taiwan and that impacts all the chip fabs there?
     

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  25. nick flandrey says:

    The Title Insurance people should be pressing hard to get the closing finished,

    yeah, so is it small shop, too busy; or is it DILLIGAF, or they're just dragging their feet?

    the neighbors say the seller is happy we're buying it, and not knocking it down, and that kids will be living in it again, so we don't think they are running out the clock on the offer process in order to take other higher offers.

    FWIW, the foundation repair estimate came back around $15k, which is $5k more than we hoped.    I'll be doing more of the dock repair myself, I guess.

    n

  26. lynn says:

    Beau….Beau….his flag dropped coffin. A war hero mentioned again.

    "Rep. Lauren Boebert heckles Biden as he talks about his late son during the State of the Union"

        https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rep-lauren-boebert-heckles-biden-as-he-talks-about-his-late-son-during-the-state-of-the-union/ar-AAUvN84

    "“Here’s another way to fight inflation,” Boebert wrote on Twitter. “Resign.” "

    "“Joe Biden wants us to tackle ‘mental health.’ I agree. We must start with the presidency,” Greene wrote."

    Hat tip to:

       https://drudgereport.com/

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  27. lynn says:

    The Title Insurance people should be pressing hard to get the closing finished,

    yeah, so is it small shop, too busy; or is it DILLIGAF, or they're just dragging their feet?

    the neighbors say the seller is happy we're buying it, and not knocking it down, and that kids will be living in it again, so we don't think they are running out the clock on the offer process in order to take other higher offers.

    FWIW, the foundation repair estimate came back around $15k, which is $5k more than we hoped.    I'll be doing more of the dock repair myself, I guess.

    n

    All cash closes are easy.  Unless, there is a problem with the title or the taxes.

    I would worry more about the quality of the foundation repair than the cost.  A good foundation repair should last 50 years (and be warrantied such).  Are they going to have to jackhammer inside the house ?  That is an incredible mess.  My wife's uncle in Abilene had several piers put in the middle of his house, there was concrete dust everywhere.

    This is why I like pier and beam houses. Much easier to jack up if need be. Or to replace the beams if you have a close encounter with termites.

  28. drwilliams says:

    “Putin didn’t hold off because he feared Trump. “

    —John Bolton, Trump-fearing pants wetter

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  29. drwilliams says:

    Trump did not make Jebby cry. 

    It was humid in the room and his glasses fogged up. 

  30. EdH says:

     The Title Insurance people should be pressing hard to get the closing finished, they don't get paid until then.

    Hopefully he’s not working with “Mr. Cooper”, of whom i’ve heard a horror story.

  31. lynn says:

    "Times Square billboard urges Biden to reject Russian oil amid war with Ukraine"

       https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/times-square-billboard-biden-russian-oil

    "Ad part of seven-figure campaign by Job Creators Network criticizing President Biden's policies"

    ""Hey Vlad. Screw You!" the billboard states. "Nyet to Russian Oil. Time for American oil. Drill more, pay less. C’mon Joe. This ain’t hard.""

    Hat tip to:
    https://drudgereport.com/

  32. drwilliams says:

    Under normal operation lead pipes have scale on the inside and don’t leach lead into the water. A properly run water treatment plant controls the pH and adds a bit of sodium silicate to the water to keep leaching under control, protect the pipes regardless of metal, and extend their working life. 

    It was stupid Democrats in Michigan that screwed up. 

  33. nick flandrey says:

    It was stupid Democrats in Michigan that screwed up. 

    —  iirc they knew better but didn't want to or couldn't afford to spend the money.

    n

  34. lynn says:

    Under normal operation lead pipes have scale on the inside and don’t leach lead into the water. A properly run water treatment plant controls the pH and ads a bit of sodium silicate to the water to keep leaching under control, protect the pipes regardless of metal, and extend their working life. 

    It was stupid Democrats in Michigan that screwed up. 

    The city council changed the water supply from Lake Michigan to another lake for cheaper water and the scale came off the lead pipe due to the different water chemistry.  It is my understanding that half of the residents did not even pay their water bills anyway.

  35. drwilliams says:

    Water chemistry for municipal supplies is not a mystery. There are federal testing requirements. 

    So, yeah, people knew. 

  36. drwilliams says:

    Zuckerbux = bribery

    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/03/zuckerbucks_declared_bribery_by_special_counsel_in_wisconsin.html

    In violation of state law, which is expressly designated in the U.S. constitution as the only legitimate authority on election laws. 

    Gee, I hope someone was taking names. 

  37. Greg Norton says:

    Trump did not make Jebby cry. 

    It was humid in the room and his glasses fogged up. 

    Jeb! never seemed interested in running for President. It would have required him to give up his ex-Playboy Bunny girlfriend to look at his wife for four to eight years.

  38. Greg Norton says:

    In violation of state law, which is expressly designated in the U.S. constitution as the only legitimate authority on election laws. 

    The Constitution leaves the Congress a vaguely worded out for regulating elections which is what the Dems are seeking to exploit with their "For The People" voting bill nonsense.

    Of course Roberts would support it if passed as part of his ongoing effort to school the masses on making "foolish" political choices.

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  39. drwilliams says:

    Roberts needs his house and a few square blocks torched by a mob and a helpful insurance agent that shows him the “civil disturbance” escape hatch that the home office “probably” won’t use.

    ”This is your signature on the application attesting that you read and understood?”

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  40. lynn says:

    "LNG tanker congestion forms outside U.S. export terminals"

        http://www.gasprocessingnews.com/news/lng-tanker-congestion-forms-outside-us-export-terminals.aspx

    "More than two dozen LNG tankers were near U.S. Gulf Coast export terminals on Monday, either loading or waiting to load, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon and consultancy Kpler."

    "European demand for U.S. LNG climbed last year due to local production declines, lack of pipeline supply and cold weather. Sanctions on companies and banks in major gas producer Russia following its invasion of Ukraine appear to be spurring fresh demand."

    "As many as 28 ships were near U.S. Gulf Coast ports on Monday as the U.S. approached its full LNG export capacity, analysts said. The two previous daily tanker peaks were on Feb. 10 and Nov. 11 at between 27 and 28 vessels."

    "European LNG benchmark prices traded on the Dutch exchange cooled this week, falling to $31.31 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), below the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) price for Asia spot gas at $32.31 per MMBtu, according to Refinitiv."

    Wow !  That is almost seven times the price of natural gas in Texas.  The LNG liquefaction plants are making money hand over fist.

  41. lynn says:

    "RIP Liam McRogue aka “Rogue” 2018-2022."

        https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2207273096103380&id=573093052854734

    "Our nursery mascot was slaughtered by a roaming dog while we were away having lunch with family. We are devastated. He wasn’t like any rooster on the planet. He loved his “fans” that shopped in the nursery and loved posing for pictures! We are so proud that he protected his hens and the peacocks and sacrificed himself for their safety. We miss his silly noises and his giant “presence” on the farm. I’m in such shock and my heart is broken. Those of you that ordered chicks, I will be contacting you in the next few days. Send me a message if you like to make double sure you’re on the list. If we have extras, we will post. Chicks hatching around the 11th. After this, it will be a long time for chicks."

    This is the 15 lb German rooster that I met last summer.  He was a beauty !  So sad !

  42. lynn says:

    "Texas Secretary of State, Harris County clash over alleged vote count delays"

         https://www.chron.com/politics/article/Harris-County-primary-election-results-Hidalgo-16971167.php

    "County officials are denying accusations from the Secretary of State's office claiming it would not tally primary ballots by Wednesday's deadline."

    Harris County Democrat Judge Lena Hidalgo is incompetent and it shows.  One wonders how many of the ballots are being modified by county officials.

    They are setting themselves up for the Nov 2 election.

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  43. Nightraker says:

    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/whitehead-these-are-dangerous-times-america-and-world

    More than a bit incendiary and the proposed solutions are rubbish, but he's not wrong enumerating the problems:

    "Americans no longer have a right to private property. If government agents can invade your home, break down your doors, kill your dog, damage your furnishings and terrorize your family, your property is no longer private and secure—it belongs to the government. Likewise, if government officials can fine and arrest you for growing vegetables in your front yard, praying with friends in your living room, installing solar panels on your roof, and raising chickens in your backyard, you’re no longer the owner of your property."

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  44. lynn says:

    "China Asked Russia to Delay Ukraine War Until After Olympics, U.S. Officials Say"

        https://dnyuz.com/2022/03/02/china-asked-russia-to-delay-ukraine-war-until-after-olympics-u-s-officials-say/

    What are good friends for anyway ?

  45. lynn says:

    "Amazon closing its brick-and-mortar bookstores"

       https://dnyuz.com/2022/03/02/amazon-closing-its-brick-and-mortar-bookstores/

    "Amazon is closing all of its brick-and-mortar bookstores, as well as its 4-star shops and pop-up locations, as the online retail giant reworks its physical footprint.

    The Seattle-based company said Wednesday that the move, which affects 66 stores in the U.S. and two in the United Kingdom, will enable it to concentrate its efforts on Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, its convenience concept called Amazon Go and its upcoming Amazon Style stores."

    Well, that did not last long.

  46. Greg Norton says:

    Well, that did not last long.

    I've been in the Austin Amazon bookstore a few times. The staff members were always creepy, and the selection was very limited.

    Ironically, the last two visits were while waiting for something to be fixed at the Apple store.

  47. Alan says:

    >> –wonder if the retail investors made it to the exit? Or were they holding onto their 'gains'…

    Retail investors trying to time the market might as well go to Vegas and play baccarat, at least there they have better odds. Even the pros don't always make it. 

    You just need the discipline not to look at your 401k account right now…unless of course you are getting ready to retire. 

  48. Alan says:

    >> "China Asked Russia to Delay Ukraine War Until After Olympics, U.S. Officials Say" 

    There was an Olympics recently? Somebody should have woken me up.

    Who won? 

  49. lynn says:

    "Texas temporarily blocked from investigating the family of a trans teen over gender-affirming care"

         https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/02/trans-kids-abbott-aclu/

    "A state judge blocked Texas' child protection agency from investigating the parents of a transgender teenager who received gender-affirming medical care, citing the "irreparable injury" they would likely suffer. District Judge Amy Clark Meachum's ruling does not stop the agency from opening investigations into other families in similar situations."

    "The American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal brought a lawsuit challenging these investigations on behalf of a state employee, her husband and their 16-year-old who received gender-affirming treatment, plus Dr. Megan Mooney, a psychologist who works with trans teenagers."

    "Meachum will consider issuing a statewide injunction blocking such investigations into all parents of trans children on March 11."

    Giving adolescents puberty blockers is not good. 

  50. SteveF says:

    "Gender affirming treatment" is the new term for "bodily mutilation", right?

    How's this for a plan: Allow anyone who wants it to get "gender affirming treatment" at taxpayer expense. They're also allowed unlimited access to a suicide hotline, a special one which gives advice on how to kill themselves and why they should, as well as locations to receive poison. Sure, it'll cost the taxpayers a few dollars, but less than a lifetime of indigent medical care, welfare, and other social costs.

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  51. lpdbw says:

    Informed consent to "Gender affirming treatment" should be required to point out, to the patient and parents of the patient, that 40% of them will commit suicide. 

    And then the parents who are still willing to take that gamble should be considered child abusers and incarcerated.

    Plenty of time for the mentally ill to mess up their lives after the reach 18.

  52. drwilliams says:

    Looter apprehended in Ukraine:

    https://twitter.com/JimLeitrim2/status/1498085691246448643

    Note To Self: Find that dog end of 12" stretch wrap and put it in the Emergency Restraints box with the rope, handcuffs, zip ties, industrial fiberglass tape, and #9 wire with fencing pliers.

  53. nick flandrey says:

    unless of course you are getting ready to retire. 

    I decided several years ago that I did not have enough time to recover from another "market correction".

    Anyone invested heavily in russian financial instruments had better have been a pro in the first place.  SOMEONE got left holding the bag though.

    n

  54. nick flandrey says:

    There are always two sides.

    Putin is NOT crazy and the Russian invasion is NOT failing. The West's delusions about this war – and its failure to understand the enemy – will prevent it from saving Ukraine, writes military analyst BILL ROGGIO 

    ROGGIO: Believing Russia's assault is going poorly may make us feel better but is at odds with the facts. We cannot help Ukraine if we cannot be honest about its predicament.

    I'm not buying it that Vlad lost his mind, or didn't consider all the factors involved before launching.  He's got a long history of success.

    n

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  55. nick flandrey says:

    Slo Joe on the other hand has lost his mind.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10570649/Biden-repeats-attack-isolated-Putin.html

    Vladimir Putin was counting on being able to split up the United States,' Biden said in a speech in Superior, Wisconsin.

    'Look, how would you feel if you saw crowds storm and break down the doors of the British Parliament and kill five cops, injure 145? Or the German Bundestag or the Italian Parliament?' he asked. 

    killed 5 cops.    Delusional.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10569505/Fact-check-Bidens-SOTU-includes-false-claim-suing-gun-makers-climate-change-taxes.html

    Fact check of Biden's State of the Union includes his false claim about suing gun makers and exaggerated statements about jobs HE created, climate change, taxes on the rich and chokehold bans

    • President Joe Biden delivered his first State of the Union address on Tuesday
    • He addressed several issues, including  his domestic agenda and sanctions against Russia after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine
    • Many claims were valid, while others were misleading or downright false 
    • President claimed 'gun manufacturers [are] the only industry in America that can't be sued,' which is false
    • Biden did not wear a mask to the State of the Union Tuesday evening after the CDC relaxed its masking mandates on Friday 
    • 'Most Americans in most of the country can now be mask free,' Biden praised during his remarks, which was a true statement

    Job and economic growth after the pandemic

    Claim: 'Our economy created over 6.5 million new jobs just last year, more jobs created in one year than ever before in the history of America.'

    While the nuts and bolts of this claim are true, it is also MISLEADING considering the context of job growth in America since Biden took office had mostly to do with the job market's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The US added 6.6 million jobs in the first 12 months of Biden's term, which is more than the U.S. added in any year since tracking began in 1939. It comes, however, after the pandemic caused the loss of 22 million jobs in two months.

    The job market started to rebound under Donald Trump in the summer of 2020, but as of January 2022, the U.S. is still down more than 2 million jobs from where the country was at when the pandemic hit, meaning Biden's gains in this area still include a hole in the job market.

    The other stuff I caught is mentioned too. 

    n

    (I'm no genius, it is that the lies were so bald faced.)

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  56. nick flandrey says:

    Remember this chick?  Identified by distinctive tats on her hands?

    Woman who burned five police cars in summer 2020 Black Lives Matter riots using a makeshift flame thrower and 'left downtown Seattle in flames and billowing smoke' is sentenced to five years in prison

    • Margaret Channon, 25, was convicted to five years behind bars for arson today
    • CCTV footage linked her to setting five police cars alight in Seattle in May 2020 
    • They linked the 25-year-old using footage which showed tattoos on her hands
    • The torching took place during one of the ongoing protests over the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and 2021 

    Channon, who also acknowledged smashing a Verizon store window and busting the cash register at a sandwich shop, was the fifth and final defendant sentenced in federal court for actions related to the civil unrest in Seattle.

    Kelly Jackson received more than three years for throwing Molotov cocktails at two Seattle police vehicles on May 30. Tyre Means got five years for burning one Seattle police vehicle and stealing a firearm out of another that day. Desmond David-Pitts and Isaiah Willoughby received 20 and 24 months, respectively, for setting fires at the East Precinct.

    –Fifth and final.  Five.  vs how many from Jan 6, still in jail?

    n

  57. drwilliams says:

    "A look at the Russian military offensive demonstrates there was a plan for a full-scale invasion, which Russia is now executing."

    –Roggio

    I doubt that plan included stalling an armored column on a highway for days while running out of food and fuel.

    Or losing armored vehicles at a 50/day clip, largely from shoulder fired missiles.

    And I know that a $600 million largest-in-the-world superyacht with hot-and-cold running Olympic swimming pools is not a weapon of war, but the British put some severe butt-hurt on a Russkie oilly and all of them have to wonder how many shell corporations it takes to hide the chewy center. And it's the optics, man. (ok, I'm kidding about the pools).

    Lots of opining about how x% of Ukrainian wheat goes somewhere, and y% of Russian sumpinsumpin goes someotherwhere, etc. Draw them all as vectors on the world map and notice that the butt-ends converge on Russia.

    The World Court should pause their usual dicking around, take a page from Putin himself, and have a trial for dead Chechen General Magomed Tushayev. If history is any guide, it's likely that the torturer and murderer of LGBT+ people was also a rapist and sodomizer. Maybe a breathless CNN team could do a weeks worth of daily report and innuendo on just how personally Putin oversaw that effort.

  58. nick flandrey says:

    Ah, wordle players amuse me again.   And I've figured out the real reason for the complaints…

    Wordle has been slammed yet again today as players complained the puzzles answer had too many possible options for the first letter with many guessing incorrectly and  breaking their winning streaks.  

     They lose their 'bragging rights' with their broken streaks….

    n

  59. EdH says:

    A look at the Russian military offensive demonstrates there was a plan for a full-scale invasion, which Russia is now executing."

    –Roggio

    I doubt that plan included stalling an armored column on a highway for days while running out of food and fuel.

    They were very lucky the Ukrainians didn’t turn that into a “highway of death” like the Americans did to the Iraqis a few years back.

  60. drwilliams says:

    sniff

    Don’t you do the Times Sunday Crossword in pen?

    No, not that one, you philistine. London Times. 

  61. ~jim says:

    Lol, I used to do the Telegraph. In pen. 

    I would also mention that the Criterion Channel has supplanted Netflix and everything else.

    https://www.criterionchannel.com/

  62. lynn says:

    Lol, I used to do the Telegraph. In pen. 

    I would also mention that the Criterion Channel has supplanted Netflix and everything else.

    https://www.criterionchannel.com/

    You don't want to know how much money I have lost on my Netflix stock in the last couple of months. I have been holding it for around 15 years.

  63. Nick Flandrey says:

    Got a letter from the title insurance people and they are ready to proceed. Now to set a real closing date. Then the hard work and money fountain really get going.

    n

  64. lynn says:

    Got a letter from the title insurance people and they are ready to proceed. Now to set a real closing date. Then the hard work and money fountain really get going.

    n

    I have not owned a house or a building yet that was not a money and sweat pit. I still have quite a bit of damage from the Feb 2021 (winter storm Uri) to fix at my office complex.

  65. lynn says:

    Man, I hate the 500 error.  It has gone back to throwing away the contents of the edit box.

  66. Nick Flandrey says:

    I got it on my comment about the title letter.   the back arrow got me back to my text.

    I had just about decided that it mostly happened when I lead with a pasted quote… when it happens on the short and simple text.

    n

  67. brad says:

    We´ll build a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations, begin to replace poisonous lead pipes-so every child-and every American-has clean water to drink at home and at school, provide affordable high-speed internet for every American-urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities.

    Not seeing how any of this is the job of the federal government. Water pipes belong to towns and cities, and that's also who regulates local internet service.

    As for 500,000 charging stations, that's a great commercial opportunity for companies, as the number of electric cars grows.

    Tribal communities: last I knew, they were semi-sovereign. While the corrupt tribal governments will be happy to take more handouts, be assured that the money will go anywhere except where it was intended. Like the tribe in New Mexico that sells electricity to a Bitcoin farm, while their tribal members still don't have electricity wired to their homes.

    Meanwhile, Ukraine: What I want to know, is why military support (weapons deliveries, etc.) were not pre-positioned, ready to be delivered. It's great to promise them stuff now – but by the time it arrives, the war will be pretty much decided.

    It's really interesting to see how the Ukraine is totally winning the propaganda war. Who knows what's really true, but the videos of farmers stealing Russian tanks, of Russian soldiers surrendering, etc, etc – it's a hell of a coup.

    China Asked Russia to Delay Ukraine War Until After Olympics, U.S. Officials Say

    The Olympics were a dud. I don't know anyone who watched even a single event.

    Anyway, it's an interesting question, just what relationship Russia and China have. Certain is that China will look closely at how the world reacts to the Russian invasion, as a sign of whether they could get away with annexing Taiwan.

    Unless other countries intervene, Russia will – despite manifest incompetence – eventually win. "Quantity has a quality all its own." The question is: at what price? Will the rest of the world hold to severe sanctions long-term? If so, Russia may be forced to disgorge the Ukraine and pay reparations. On the other hand, if the news cycle moves on, and sanctions are quietly dropped, Taiwan will be next.

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