Cooler in the morning, hot later, supposed to be clear all weekend for most of the country, as well as Houston. Thursday started very cool and got plenty hot, 99F at one point in the sun, but cooled down again once the sun set.
I did pickups and auction stuff, but didn’t get the stuff loaded for this weekend. I bought a jon boat for the BOL, and a scratch and dent wood stove. Also some things for the house. I’m excited about the jon boat. Seemed nuts to be on a lake with no boat at all. Now I need a motor. At least it’s not quite a hole in the water that I try to fill with money….
The stove looks complete, with only a small bend on one corner. Nothing to affect use, and even appearance will be minimally impacted. The plan is to remove the massive fireplace and chimney, which are crushing the back of the house and blocking the view of the lake. Later we’d add a woodburner off to the side. I saw the stove in the auction, and the pictures were terrible, so I thought I’d take the chance. It was crazy cheap. Looks like a winner so far, and at over a 90% discount from retail. I will sell it if I find a nicer one before we get around to installing it, but in these uncertain times, I’ve got this stove at least, sitting in the stacks. It’s massive overkill for the house, and larger than I’d want in the room but – – –
Take what you can get, and get it when you can.
Kids are done with school for the year, so now the summer stuff starts happening. Starting with a weekend at the BOL.
We’re headed up at some point to do more work, and enjoy the weekend. We will take time out to remember the real reason for the holiday. Like usual, I’ll set up several place holder posts to open the door and turn the lights on, just in case I have comms issues, and commenting by yours truly will be light.
Keep working on getting your stuff in order. The awareness that something bad is coming, and its name is famine, is starting to spread. Some more stuff is going to become even more difficult to find, and more expensive as people start putting back a little extra. Don’t wait for the crush. Stack it up NOW.
And increase your personal vigilance. People are getting angry. Violence is increasing. Anyone can get caught in it anywhere- this has always been true, but the likelihood is increasing. Do what you can to avoid being a victim.
nick
“Schmidt, the chief technology officer of a grid optimization startup, said the Lightning will replace the gas-powered F-150 that’s been in his driveway.”
Good Lord, he was part of the freak show at MacDill for a while. “Information Warfare”. Then it looks like he went through the contractor revolving door.
Jus’ plain folk.
If you’re traveling for the holiday weekend:
plan your route
plan your stops
be vigilant
don’t leave home without it
Killing a guy who is shooting little kids? I wouldn’t hesitate a second. Killing someone who isn’t an obvious, immediate threat? That would be a lot more difficult, even if you “knew” it was necessary. Look at the statistics from Vietnam and before: few soldiers really want to aim at an enemy and pull the trigger. Hence, the emphasis in training on “dehumanizing” the enemy. In the current crisis, for example, they’re not Russians, they’re “orcs”.
What’s is at lease as important, is gun handling. Knowing how to load, how to take off the safety, how to aim. You have to know that so well that it becomes automatic, even under stress. That takes regular practice. Someone unwilling to put in the practice should really not be carrying in public, because they are as likely to shoot bystanders as anything else.
Spring term is over so someone has time on their hands.
So, what, $14-15k or so per class per semester, benefits from your spouse’s job?
Ah! Gotcha. Since we haven’t had television in 15 years, there are a lot of shows I’ve never even seen commercials or trailers for. So I didn’t pick up on the reference.
Last year, I spent time in a hotel and with my folks and so saw some shows I’d never seen. One channel ran a Swamp People marathon, and it proved surprisingly interesting, despite being nothing but fishing for alligators. The people on it are likeable. Bear Grylls celebrity show was just ok, I like the outdoors stuff but am not very interested in celebrities nor in the angst of wildly successful people. That knife/sword-making game show was cool.
The whining has started in Uvalde. Kids are saying they are now afraid to talk to men. Other are saying they can never go in a school room again. Texas will now have to pay for home schooling for hundreds of kids. Texas will have to tear the school down and build another school on different property. The new school will be fortified like a prison.
The kids are not old enough to be expressing those types of opinions. They are probably scared and rightfully so. But to make claims about requiring treatment for the rest of their lives, they will never be able to be fully educated and on welfare their entire life. The kids are being coached by adults.
Unfortunately, some of the parents will be using the event as winning the lottery except their winnings will not be taxed. Except by the lawyers who will keep 40% of any awards.
I am certain the lawyers are swarming and all hotels in 100-mile radius are booked with lawyers and their staff. Lawsuits will be forthcoming against the shooter’s family, social media, gun manufacturers, the store that sold the gun or ammunition, the police, the school district, the state of Texas, the company with the social media software, the school administrators.
A tragic event made worse by the legal leaches.
This blog and flogging his one-eyed-wonder-worm are all that occupies NaN’s time.
An almost throwaway line from the lawyer in “Breaking Bad” predicts his character’s future now playing out in the “Better Call Saul” flash forwards.
We never watched “Breaking Bad”, but the references are everywhere.
Graduation Day today. It’s hard to believe our only child has finished high school. We are not that old…
Suck it up buttercup, yes you are. I am several more revolutions around the nuclear furnace than you.
There is dirt, then there is Mr. Ray. Hi CowboyStu!
For every year you don’t feel that old there will be one were you feel older.
I have come to believe that getting old beats the alternative. Of course I am still 10 years from SS retirement age (My SS retirement age is 67. YMMV), which makes me a youngster in this group.
If it makes you feel better, I was 44 when my youngest was born.
71F when I got up, already at 82F an hour or so later.
Errands to run. Fang cleaning for kids and maybe me. Stuff to dig out of storage.
n
There are the usual counters to the study near the end.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10856933/Lockdowns-saved-just-10k-lives-Europe-combined-Study-finds-little-no-effect.html
n
@stevef
Got me beat sir. I was 41. That’s way too old to be pregnant – hah!
Heh. Practically a whipper snapper compared to some of you old farts –grin-
Small world. Family pulled into the slot next to us at the RV park. We saw them outside and got to talking. Asked where they were from. They said near Oak Ridge. We said we live near Oak Ridge. They said they live in a little town outside Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs. Same place we are from. They live across the highway from us, about ¼ mile. Small world.
RV park is filling up. Wednesday there were probably 12 sites occupied of 40. Thursday several moved in. Today there are more moving. I expect the place to be full by tonight.
Wife and I are going to see “Murder on the Orient Express” tonight at the Cumberland County Playhouse. We leave the RV park for home tomorrow. Lot of rain yesterday, noisy in a travel trailer. Today is nice, got down to 59F last night. We hope to leave by 8:30 AM tomorrow morning. Put us back home by 10:30, hour travel time, then the time zone change.
And I fart with the best of them.
I don’t feel like my grandparents looked at 71. Better diet, better healthcare, less hard work. Maybe my grandparents felt the same way about their grandparents.
I was 44 when I was born. 😉
Ah not fang cleaning, camp physicals. So I’m safe from the tender mercies.
n
If it makes you feel any better, I’m in the Colorado Springs area to attend my granddaughter’s graduation ceremony tomorrow morning. As a bonus, I have to spend time with my ex-wife and her husband, making nice for the granddaughter’s sake.
10-4, Roger That, Mr. Atoz! Over &Out!
LOL! My oldest was like that. He was like someones cranky grandfather his whole childhood.
Finally got my gas mileage back up to 24 MPG in the Jeep, by using only ethanol-free gasoline, and driving 65. That is with using the A/C, but still pretty good for a 2001 vehicle. 90% or more of my driving is highway, and hilly.
So today I filled up with regular in Comanche County. I have to go to Waco in a couple of weeks, so I’ll need another fill up, and that will be a good test to see if the ethanol gas mix is still wonky. That sudden 16 MPG in both cars, down from 20, was just bizarre.
Some shop stuff:
McMasters-Carr
I needed some of those telescoping plastic tubes to put some sharps in. I couldn’t find any under “buy 50” so I checked MC. Yep they sell onesies and twosomes. They have a good variety in round and square.
DigiKey
I needed some special fuses for a crowd source project I received “Pokit Pro”. Yep, DK to the rescue. Arrived in two days via First Class Postage. I use them for various needs.
Super Glue
DO NOT BUY Satellite SG. The glue it self is one of the best. I’ve had two batches now where the bottles leaked after a couple of months. That is a very common complaint. Luckily it wasn’t sitting on something I couldn’t replace cheaply. I’m going to try some various viscosities of Star Bond SG.
Pokit Pro link.
A probe that hooks up to your phone to measure voltage/etc? Don’t see the advantage. Still two wires plus a ‘box. And $100-200!! Yikes!!
I can get a basic multimeter for under $12 at Zon: https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multimeter-MSR-R500-Electronic-Multimeters/dp/B01N9QW620?crid=32V5UEN3SNU8&keywords=voltmeter&qid=1653672247&sprefix=voltmeter%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-7&linkCode=sl1&linkId=1968239a19465e45f260899ec93b4763&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&tag=ttgnet-20 . Other choices at similar prices. Cheap enough that if it breaks, you get a new one. But they hardly ever break. Buy an extra one, and still about $25.
The cheap ones might just kill you though, when their non existent safety features fail to work…
See EEVBlog for cheap multimeter teardowns.
n
Yours can’t measure capacitance, no oscilloscope functions, no data logging. Add in those functions and tell me the cost.
Besides the cost, it is cool and portable. throw in a USB soldering iron and you can do real work with a tool kit the size of your fists.
I also have a WiFi endoscope, paint color sensor, IR cam, CC reader that all connect to the phone. Portability for biz travel and helping relatives.
Added: Half the cost by crowdsourcing.
With a V6 and the transmissions of that era, 24 MPG is probably about as good as you will get. I’d be suspicious if it suddenly got much better.
I can coax 28 out of our 2016 Exploder, but that’s highway, just under 70 on cruise control, with a 6 speed transmission. Fifteen years of “progress”.
2001 should be fine with E10, but my 2001 Toyota Solara 4 cylinder generally runs better on ethanol-free gas. Occasionally, I have to run a tank of Shell Premium to avoid problems starting in the morning. I have no clue as to why it likes Shell.
I don’t think my Toyota will survive E15 if that becomes the standard. That’s probably the point of Mayor Pete’s recent moves in that area. Prior to 9/11, the manufacturers had CAFE nailed and were cruising on $1.00/gallon gas as far as the market could predict.
I keep looking at these and wondering who actually uses them? 1 msps? I can’t remember when I worked on a sub-500khz system. Navy days, MAYBE, but even then we used a 200 MHz ‘scope and wished for more.
Yah, I’m glad I was not pregnant when I was 41.
The kids in my daughter’s grade still talk about fart bombs. Which is impressive, as I read her your post on this site about four years ago and she told her friends about it right away. And they’re still talking about it.
No word on whether they’re actually leaving fart bombs in seat cushions or just talking about it.
I was poor a poor black child.
How much news coverage will this event receive?
https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/charleston-police-shooting-victim-pulled-assault-rifle-on-party/
I used them in the video stuff at the church. I was not so much concerned about the signal as I was about there being a signal. That was until I got wise. I figured out the 4K big monitors that are used are smart enough to tell me if there is a signal, frame rate of the signal, and the aspect numbers on the signals. Those monitors are smart enough to figure out the digital signal. Didn’t care about analog as the only analog signal in the system is the one going to the cable modulator, converted from digital, scaled, run through an analog monitor, then on to the modulator.
You have probably heard before the problem with the audio signal. People watching on the broadcast were complaining about low audio level. Some digging and I found the left (or right, I don’t remember) audio channel was disconnected. I fixed that and gloated about my success.
Next Sunday there was no audio at all on the broadcast. Audio everywhere in the studio, recorders, stream, monitors, everywhere except the broadcast. I quickly patched in another audio route and got the audio back. Later investigation found that I had reversed the polarity on the channel I fixed. We do run stereo everywhere, but it is basically mono. That reversed polarity was effectively cancelling the signal where the left and right channels were merged. So much for the original gloating. Not to worry, I had something else to gloat about.
One of those cheap scopes would have helped in that situation.
Also most effective when departing an airplane down a narrow aisle. All the people behind have no idea who caused their discomfort, made eyes water, small child (lower where the air is worse), retch. Can also be used walking through 1st class when boarding.
Bah. “I was born a poor black child.”
I need to put some time into looking for the cause of that mistake. At the moment, Ray is looking culpable.
>> If you’re traveling for the holiday weekend:
plan your route
plan your stops
be vigilant
don’t leave home without it
And don’t leave your home looking like you left for the weekend.
Retro video game and computer enthusiasts. 6502 and its siblings ran 1 MHz.
Z80 ran 4 MHz, but most of the gear based on that architecture didn’t survive due to the higher clock speeds.
If you find an old Atari, Apple, or Commodore board, chances are that it will still boot.
Border Patrol tactical team arrived at Uvalde school shortly after noon — but cops stopped them from going in
>> The cheap ones might just kill you though, when their non existent safety features fail to work…
See EEVBlog for cheap multimeter teardowns.
A basic Klein Tools multimeter can be had for $50.
Hmm, I suppose I was also cranky at times, but I intended that to mean I had some wisdom. Yeah, right.
One phrase I am fond of is to say that I am the oldest of one. I got tired of being called an only child, so turned the phrase.
The story just gets worse and worse…
‘It Was the Wrong Decision,’ Police Say of Delay in Confronting Gunman
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10861139/Forgive-son-reasons-did-Mother-shooter-asks-people-not-judge-son.html
Yeah, that ship has sailed lady. Dante would likely create a new circle for that kind of monster.
A month or so ago Frost Bank said they were going to pay 0.1 interest instead of 0.01. Nice. Latest statement shows I made $2 instead of 19¢. They also started an X number of Savings withdrawals with excess withdrawals costing $3 each. Well….. still cheaper than a bounced check fee.
Nyquist says a 1 msps ‘scope can ’see’ a 500 KHz sine wave. Probably a 250 KHz square wave but not well. 100 KHz digital will be somewhat accurate, but still very noisy.
I’ll admit it would be good for audio. Serial ports, too. Not much else.
I went shopping yesterday. WalMart for coffee and beer and other stuff. Like Biz, TP, paper towels, Arm & Hammer laundry detergent. Got a six pack of tooth brushes. And dammit, it looks like they’ve stopped selling Pepsodent toothpaste. The whole store is doing another reset. Big reset on the front end as they make it almost all self-check.
Yeah, no, I’m not having my receipt checked at the door ala Costco. You want to check my receipt? I’ll let the nice cop outside look at it.
I did get a couple of 20# bags of Riceland rice. There might be better rice. Shrug. I just know I bought a big bag of HEB rice and tossed it into the trash after two tries. Tasted funny.
Loaded the truck and then moved to the other end of the store. The “cheap” water softener salt pellets cost more than the Morton. Yeah. Bought a dozen bags. I’m kind of sore today and the salt is still in the truck.
Da!, Tomorrow For Sure Comrade!!! Into the barn!!! 🙂 The softener uses about a bag a month. Guessing at that, rounding up actually. More like six weeks per bag. I don’t care. $6.73 (yep, just looked at the receipt) plus tax for a bag of salt is money well spent…. because the water heater isn’t making noises like it’s going to explode, the faucet aerators don’t need to be soaked in vinegar once a month, AND /I/ don’t have to use a single edge razor blade to scrape off the lime ring in the toilets. The dishwasher doesn’t look like Carlsbad Caverns.
Then to HEB…..
At HEB, pasta was skimpy for egg noodles. They had some spaghetti but no macaroni. The Spam section was full of the mechanically separated chicken flavor varieties. Yeah, no. That stuff tastes and chews like Vienna sausage.
Scored a couple of 10 packs of Ivory soap. Maybe I should stop? Just eyeballing it today and I have 120 bars of soap. It won’t go to waste.
Snagged a few cans of diced tomatoes and beef stew. And Hill Country Fare canned potatoes, they are actually tasty.
Plus four bags of “home style” frozen meatballs and three bags of cheese ravioli. That’s all going to be portioned into meal size bags and vacuumed. Tomorrow for sure!
The last two years in a nutshell:
My wife had a televisit with a patient today whose kid came home from college testing positive for Covid. She told the patient to get himself tested and self-quarantine for a few days, but the guy didn’t want to pass on the air show in San Marcos so he was probably going regardless.
FOMO.
One of Steven Wright’s bits was “Our back yard had a quicksand box. I was an only child…eventually.”
108F in the sun, according to my weather station.
I’m soaked to the skin loading the truck.
Headed out soon.
n
If it makes you feel better, I was 44 when my youngest was born.
I was 27. She just turned 35 a couple of weeks ago.
@paul
In an emergency you could make a personal flotation device.
Andrew Follett @AndrewCFollett
https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2022/05/25/andrew-follett-says-the-media-is-telling-you-two-major-lies-about-mass-shootings-and-gun-control/
Name is vaguely familiar, but I had to look her up.
Seems to be a cross-dressing version of Bill Kristol.
I tried to look at her Tweets to see what “part of the solution” means, but since I won’t register on that platform, I’m just going to hazard a guess that it’s something innovative like putting our butts in the air and letting Chuck Schumer have his way with our colons. No thanks.
I have a counterproposal: Put a fence around the blue shiiteholes and start a “Fentanyl for Guns and Ammo” program.
J.J. Sefton on AOSHQ:
The latest from the inestimable Heather MacDonald:
https://nypost.com/2022/05/26/blm-is-silent-on-the-top-killer-of-black-kids-gang-violence/
108F in the sun, according to my weather station.
Never got above 70F here. Currently at 57F. Beautiful day here in Crossville TN. Buc-ee’s opens in Crossville on June 27th. It will be mobbed.
Got packed and made the drive. Not bad, only a little slowdown getting out of town. Beautiful here. Actually cooler outside than in now that the sun is down. Chilly by the water.
Got here just in time for dinner and then it was dark, so I’ll have to check on my garden in the morning.
Sky has a little haze but is pretty black with no moon up. We’re thinking about staying Monday night for the meteor shower. It could be a very good one.
Forgot my kindle at home. I usually read on vacation. I’ll bring up a spare next time, and maybe some of the Strategic Book Reserve, as Lynn puts it.
One weird supply chain thing.. I stopped at a little gas station to stretch and buy some chips. I picked up a bag I’d never seen before, Uncle Ray’s, and the flavor was Maple Bacon. According to the bag they are made in Detroit. There is a story from Uncle Ray’s life, really a homily, with a moral printed on the bag. Yes, they are delicious, but how the heck did they end up in rural Texas?
n
Appropriate for Memorial Day Weekend:
Do an eBay Sold search for:
starbucks iwo jima mug
There is one sold item currently showing: $18,995
If you click on the auction and scroll down to the description, you’ll get the story.
Starbucks announced this week that they are pulling out of Russia. Must have been strictly a PR call–the commie-loving PLT’s that serve a clientele that think that raising the flag at Iwo Jima is “too violent” have their natural home there. In fact, if they would close everywhere except Russia, maybe their fanboys would get on planes and go there, too. One can dream.
@Nick
Case of 12 3-oz bags is $35 on their website.
How much did you pay?
They have a “Where to Buy” map on the website.
The station owner stocked up at Sam’s?
I’ve seen a lot of odd brands at Sam’s lately. Mostly tortilla chips, but potato chips wouldn’t surprise me.
I got a bigger bag and swiped a card so I don’t really know what I paid. I wanted to try maple bacon potato chips!!
It’s great if smaller companies are stretching to fill gaps left by the big companies.
n
Busy after work today. Thompson Water Seal, semi-transparent water based, red shade, onto the main area of the deck. Learned a few things. That I hate using pump hand sprayers. That a paint roller on a stick is your friend. That dirt DOES do a great job of shielding concrete and can be blown away with a leaf blower.
not doesn’t look great but it looks far better than it did. I’ll tackle the walk and stairs next weekend. Took about 45 minutes start to finish today. Cleanup was easy.
Also did a not quite deep clean on the rabbitry and moved around some critters. No kits from the two does due last week. The 3 year old sweet natured doe I’ll make an attempt to find a pet home. The other doe will go to freezer camp. My most reliable doe is due this weekend. She is building a nest. I am hopeful there will be kits this weekend.
Juvenile doe turns 6 months end of July. I’ll breed her then. In the interest of keeping meat moving to the freezer I’ll rebreed my reliable doe about the same time. I will probably get one more breeding after that then the length of days will start changing and probably the end of rabbit season then. That’ll put my last freezer camp around November. I’ll carry two does and the buck through winter and start breeding end of January.
Plans. I got them. And I may change my mind on some of this. Just depends on how the animals are doing and where I’m at with comfort and lights and fall/winter temperatures.
I also hefted 10 leaf bags of manure up from backyard to trash cans out front. I’ve got several people that swing by and take it for community gardens and their own.
I did more but don’t remember what. I‘m tired and completely filthy. Refreshing adult beverage, luxury of clean hot water and soap, and contentment of making progress.
Sounds like a great day Jenny.
Enjoy the weekend though…
n
and I’m off to bed.
“Top Gun” or “Bob’s Burgers” this weekend?
My wife went to “Downton Abbey” last weekend. Spoiler – The Chicken Lady is no more.
I wonder how much of a raise she wanted.