Hot and humid. Chance of blazing sun. Most of my work area is in shade, so that is a blessing. Don’t think it got to 90F yesterday, at least in the shade. Hoping for the same today.
I got more hole dug. More dirt piled. More concrete broken and removed. Rebar. Yeah, whatever he used isn’t rebar as it’s smooth, but it’s 5/8″ thick steel rod and it makes breaking the concrete harder. Pulls right out of the concrete, once you get it moving, with a 5000 pound machine pulling.
Found where I think theburied video coax in conduit started. There was a buried empty pipe (because I snagged the contents and ripped it out) at the house under the patio. It was right under where the DirecTV coax enters the living room. Maybe the other end is at the dock. If I have time I’ll look for it.
Forgot to check on the power line I snagged. I’ll have to do that today. Fortunately there is only soda in the fridge at the dock house. It would explain why the porch light wasn’t on last night. One more thing to fix if so. (no I didn’t have any locator service, and didn’t check myself because I thought I knew where the run was buried. Oops.)
Potatoes are still growing. Only one of the berry bushes is still alive. Not good results from the Tractor Supply garden center. Could be my fault though.
Today will be more work. Concrete removal, sand removal, rinse and repeat. I need the rain to hold off for a week. Don’t know if I’ll get my needs met. Oh, and I have to fix the stuff I broke. Fun times.
The end result will be worth it.
Just need the world to NOT go nuclear this year.
But if it does, I’m better prepared than I was 5 years ago, and better prepared than most.
Because I’ve got STACKS. You can too!
nick
First time first in ages!
A beautiful sunny summer day here at the BOL. Getting bikes clean and ready for use after winter storage, and hanging some exterior lights is the plan for today.
Wagner mercenaries marching on Moscow… Interesting times!
The prediction for Monday in Austin was 0 a week in advance. That hadn’t changed much by Thursday afternoon, when the government at all levels seemed to shut down for Lunar New Year on Friday. We ended up in the teens, but the temps never recovered above freezing, which freaked everyone out.
The lack of responsibility among the people who were paid to be responsible in these situations surprised me more than the weather.
I did’t believe 0 since Austin is below the Hill Country and still part of the Gulf environment for the most part, but I knew teens and highs below freezing for a few days were not impossible.
The only time anyone in Government seemed to care about the event in the immediate aftermath was Paxton’s questionably legal bail out of Griddy customers, when those “jus’ plain folk” started showing up on TV in front of their 5000-6000 sq. ft. homes complaining about not being able to afford the bill. I gotta wonder if part of the impeachment incentive for Republicans is to lay all the blame for that on him with a “Final, Defininitive Report” once he’s out of office. Griddy was run by ex-Clinton operatives.
Yeah, it is a big club, but when the state goes “blue”, it will be fast.
BTW, The Club snuck out legal cover for ERCOT in the 2021 freeze late yesterday, after the end of the news cycle for the week, with the Supreme Court kicking the can to the Legislature, who have demonstrated repeatedly over the last two regular sessions that they won’t do much about the mess for now.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/23/ercot-lawsuits-winter-storms/
Yeah, The Texas Tribune, but it isn’t paywalled. Just keep in mind that, contrary to what they project, The Tribune is not Austin’s paper of record.
The Club had to get that out before Paxton’s trial started in the Texas Senate. Next Friday would be better, but my guess is that’s when we will hear the decision on Corn Pop’s loan forgiveness scheme before the US Supreme Court adjourns for the Summer.
My prediction is 5-4 against but with Comey-Barrett siding with the Liberals and writing the dissent.
Maybe you should set aside some of that concrete for a loading dock?
It would help moving the stacks.
Nice to see you up so early Denis!
@Ray, are you sure the Nikes were genuine? There are probably more fakes than real in the stores by now. Have a safe trip home.
@greg, the thing with Paxton and Griddly made me very mad. I have to wonder what the favor/exchange was for such a stinky deal to go thru.
Coffee, drunk. Eggs, eaten. Homemade banana bread, eaten. Time to start the day.
n
Generally fairly confident. They were purchased from a national shoe chain. Only way to get more certain is from one of the Nike outlet stores in Pigeon Forge.
More pictures from the trip, probably the last as tomorrow we depart by train to the airport.
Same link as before but those who were not paying attention the link is:
https://www.raymondthompsonphotography.com/Europe
You may have to refresh your browser to clear the cache of the old images.
This time the visit is to Köln and to Die Burg Vischering located in Lüdinghausen, not too far from Haltern.
None of the usual suspects supported P. Diddly Bush in his quest to continue the dynasty.
Paxton’s impeachment is related to a p*ssing contest going on between the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House to decide whose special interest will be sated in the band aid solution for property taxes before the 2024 elections. The Griddy coverup will continue.
The window has probably closed on the Bush cabal. P. Diddly is four years older than DeSantis.
Adidas would be the big shoe in Germany and more likely to be subject to counterfeiting.
My wife was clueless about Adidas until “Air”. That flick does a pretty good job of explaining the differences in the late 80s sneaker companies’ corporate structures and approaches to marketing.
The Europeans were never as fascinated with the concept of $20 Reeboks like the Americans, however.
What does the Cooter’s look like in Pigeon Forge?
I’ve been to the store in Nashville, and that was an overload of “Dukes of Hazzard”.
That program was on the verge of being very huge again when the mess happened with the stupid flag. Now, even Cooter’s can’t sell the toy cars with the flag pre-attached.
Yes, I did pay to sit in the car and get a picture. That will never go online in a public place.
I’d have less trouble with the pictures of me in some of my convention costume choices.
I have no idea as I have never been to that store. Did not even know it existed.
Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner show had to be renamed to just the Stampede because of political correctness. Now the show is not nearly as much fun as the original which pitted the North against the South.
Buc-ee’s in Sevierville is opening in a couple of days. At the offramp of I-40 to the Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge, Dollywood, Gatlinburg and all the other tourist trappings. As it is now it is a two lane exit, expanding to a 3 lane exit. Then three lanes all the way to the north entrance to the Smoky Mountains. traffic is already a mess and Buc-ee’s will not help. The city (I guess) put in a lighted intersection shortly after the offramp. I am certain But-ee’s paid the cost, or most of the cost. It will be a big mess for several weeks.
As much as I like Buc-ee’s, they are shameless about squeezing government for subsidies when they are building stores.
DeSantis was at the opening of the first Buc-ee’s truly located in Florida in Daytona. The Beaver couldn’t get the previous Governor to cut a deal so “Pensacola” is actually across the line in Alabama. DeSantis also cut deals for St. Augustine and Ocala.
Alabama was not prepared for the size of the crowds the store would attract, and, the last time we passed, they were frantically rebuilding the offramps in both directions. I imagine that Sevierville is prepared, but Buc-ee’s is a tourist attraction in a class all by itself.
We spent a bit of cash at Cooter’s in Nashville. I really wanted a “Moonrunners” poster when we stopped, but the only one they had was part of the store’s art collection.
I did get the DVD.
Which state has the higher chances of legalizing weed first, NC or TN?
That location would be very strategic for the flow of traffic across the state line during the Summer if one state legalizes significantly in advance of the other.
TN had low grade CDB edibles last Summer, which was popular enough that the dealers were allowed to set up in front of the Apple Store in Nashville, down the street from the Ryman.
Toss up I think. I personally have no issues with legalizing weed. It can bring a lot of tax revenue if done properly. With our clueless legislators I expect that to take a dozen legislative cycles to close loopholes and patch stupidity from the prior attempts.
The religious entities will fight tooth and nail against legalizing, same as they did with the lottery.
@Ray:
I’ve been wearing Tretorns for 45 years, both for playing tennis and everyday use. I never experienced squeaking.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tretorn+mens+sneakers&crid=33UF84U9TG672&sprefix=tretoe%2Caps%2C163&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_6&tag=ttgnet-20
I was wondering when it would open. My son and I are headed that way next Wednesday. We will probably get off I40 and take 11W to go on up to the Tri Cities to avoid that mess.
After wearing many Nikes from the early 70s I came to an abrupt end thanks to their support of Colin Kaepernick. My Cortez nylon tops in dark blue were light and comfortable but got soaked with even damp grass. Regrettable as the support of the soles was excellent.
I broke down and bought some Vans but there is one awful shoe with nothing on the bottom. Thanks to Mr Spicoli the popularity continues after 40 years.
I’ve finally settled on Fila as a comfortable all year soft shoe. Vulcs mid-height, all black, lace up with a velcro top strap and only $40. I can leave them loose laced most of the time and slip in and out. $20 cheap Luggs from Big 5 that resemble Vans but I think more comfortable. This time of year Maui & Son slaps rule much of the time. The boots won’t come out until winter unless I really have to go somewhere. Wedding and funeral gear.
I wear New Balance 860 shoes for running. They help with overpronation, and my feet don’t hurt after running. A pair usually lasts 8 or 9 months. Daily use either walking miles with the dogs, or running.
>> Coffee, drunk. Eggs, eaten. Homemade banana bread, eaten. Time to start the day.
What, no bacon??
So how many children of the ultra-religious attend TN schools on scholarships paid for by the state lottery?
The hypocrisy is rampant in Florida.
I’ve embraced the “barefoot” shoe nerd-movement on/off for several years. I’ve been solely (heh) barefoot shoes for the last four months (except for my Redwing BOA workboots. I walk a little over 2.5 miles each day that I can in Vibram 5 Fingers V-Train 2.0s. Mostly no shoes while in the house with a mix of Peluva and Vivo barefoot shoes for going out. My feet are fine, no pain. Olukai sandals when needed.
It takes a while to get your feet acclimated to barefoot shoes. My toes have spread except the little toes, which I’m working on. Too many years of being smashed together in the Whitle Man’s shoes.
False dichotomy.
I’m morally and ethically opposed to the abuses that government committed and commits in the name of Social Security. But I’ve also spent 45 years paying into it, rain or shine, and against my will.
I am not a hypocrite for taking advantage of collecting Social Security. If I had FU money, I’d make a political statement by declining it, but I don’t, so I take my payments.
Secondly, most states that implemented lotteries lied to the public, saying the money funds education. Then they hide behind hand-waving and avoiding the use of the word “fungible”.
Illinois, in particular, used lotto money to fund education. But they didn’t reduce any other taxes in proportion, and they didn’t increase funding to schools. For every dollar the lotto gave to education, they reduced education funding by the same amount, giving a net change of zero. But those former education dollars went into the general fund, to be spent on Democrat initiatives.
When there’s coercion in the marketplace, calling out hypocrisy is wrong. It’s people making the best of a bad situation.
Shoes? Merrill, when I worked. They’re all in a box under the bed. Since then Teva flip-flops except for a couple of weeks in February. Blue toes hurt. Can’t go barefoot outside for all the stickers… and if I could I’d not have any tan lines.
^^^^ this.
I paid into SS from my first job. Since 1973. And by golly, after Medicare takes a bite, I find my $950 a month useful for stupid shirt(-r) things like property taxes and insurance and utilities and groceries. I have everything paid for other than the truck and whatever BS I slap on the CC. I’ve got it down to where I can “do fine” after a few more cuts… like Sling will go away and such.
Shoes: Dr Scholls otr orthopedic. Criminally ugly, but night and day more comfortable than anything at Macys, Pennys, etc.
Sneakers: Whatever, since the big brands had their quality and price head in opposite directions. Currently a pair of Saucony.
Boots: Keens, wide toe. Merrills used to have wide, but dropped the line to something much narrower (and I now have an ingrown nail to prove it!). I liked the Keens so much that I actually bought a second back up pair.
Sandals: Birkenstocks, but my calluses crack if I wear them too often.
I took the dogs to the vet last September. Flea meds? “go to this website and order what you want”. I tried that. My website is sorta sucky but it works. The vet’s site is all fill your cart and when you try to enter your credit card info, the fields don’t work.
So off to walmart pet rx .com. Much better price than the vet. My order has been waiting for approval from the vet for two weeks. Since 6/10. I reckon it ain’t happening.
I ordered the same stuff from VetShopMax on 6/13. About a dime more per item than Walmart plus $8 shipping. From freaking Australia.
Anyway. I bought some Bravecto. The one month dose. X2 for each dog.
I expected Penny to be a problem. Getting her to eat a Trifexis pill was a pain. No problem today. I put some dry dog food in their pots and added a few tablespoons of canned dog food and Her Highness chowed down. Buddy the Beagle was the surprise. He ate everything but the pill. But then he did eat the pill. I think it was a texture thing.
The stuff is suppose to start working in a couple of hours and that seems to be happening. Full effect in 12 hours.
Guess who is vacuuming the heck out of the house and then giving a couple of dogs a bath to wash off fleas and Sevin powder?
The lottery proceeds in a lot of states increasingly pay for programs similar to Bright Futures in Florida where the profits from the games cover scholarships used at the state universities rather than funding general education. In Florida the percentage of lottery money consumed by the scholarships, which mostly benefit the upper middle class, was up to 60% the last time I looked.
I’ve had friends in FL brag about their kids’ participation in Bright Futures and how much money they save vs. paying the tuition themselves – which they could easily afford BTW – but turn around and deride the Lottery as a “tax on the stupid”.
I expected Penny to be a problem. Getting her to eat a Trifexis pill was a pain. No problem today. I put some dry dog food in their pots and added a few tablespoons of canned dog food and Her Highness chowed down. Buddy the Beagle was the surprise. He ate everything but the pill. But then he did eat the pill. I think it was a texture thing.
My wife breaks up the anti flea pill into a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Lily loves it.
“The Witch of Hebron: A World Made by Hand Novel” by James Howard Kunstler
https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Hebron-World-Novel-Novels/dp/0802145442?tag=ttgnet-20/
Book number two of a four book apocalyptic fantasy series. I read the well printed and well bound trade paperback published by Grove Press in 2011 that I bought new on Amazon. I have bought the third and fourth books in the series.
In this alternate reality, oil well fracking was not invented and the world started running out of crude oil in 2008. Then somebody popped off a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles and somebody popped off a nuclear bomb in Washington DC. And the world slowed down and the USA moved back to the 1800s over the next several decades. We were back to times that the flu and encephalitis killed significant portions of the population. This series is set roughly in 2030 or 2040. The books are page turners with short three to five page chapters.
The town of Union Grove, New York has decayed significantly over time. No cars, either buy a horse or walk where you are going. No electricity and the farms are worked by hand now. The population is maybe 20% of what it was at the turn of the century so there are houses standing empty all over town. All of the older people remember cars, airplanes, antibiotics, and air conditioning but the young people don’t.
It is fall now and the kids are back in school after the farm harvests came in. Eleven year olds Ned and Jasper are out fishing and then walking home. On the way home, Jasper’s three month old puppy runs in to the Brother’s horse pasture and starts barking and jumping at Brother Jobe’s stallion. The stallion ends up stomping the dog. Jasper comes back in the middle of the night and feeds the stallion opium balls covered with oats, killing him. He stole the opium balls from his doctor father. Jasper then takes off to become a doctor in the town down the way. But, Jasper runs into Billy Bones, a thief and a murderer on the road. Billy Bones is determined that Jasper will become his protege.
The author has an active website at
https://kunstler.com/
Warning, the author’s website is fairly crude.
My rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (616 reviews)
Re: shoes
I saw Keen mentioned. They make very comfortable walking/running/utility shoes right here in the US. https://www.keenfootwear.com
I walk several miles most days in their sandals, but the waterproof boots actually keep my feet dry when we get a gully washer, and I have to wade through two inches of water in the driveway or decide to do the walk in the (warm) rain. My family have found Keen shoes to be comfortable and well-made. Yeah, their ad copy is a bit lefty for me, but they make a good product at a reasonable price; they are careful about their environmental impact, and I do applaud that.
I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention Allen Edmonds or Lucchese (lew-Kay-say) for other US-made men’s shoes and boots. Handmade and recraftable shoes should last more or less forever, since one can have the soles replaced every decade or so. My 30-year-old wingtips look brand new, but they have had the soles replaced at least twice…
Russia has put down this rebellion. I am not sure that they will put down the next one. I am wondering how well does Putin have control over the nuclear weapons. Or, does he have too much control.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12230141/Wagner-chief-agrees-escalate-END-mercenary-groups-march-Moscow.html
Have they, really? I wouldn’t trust the DM, or any news agency, as far as I could throw them.
The whole thing is weird.
Putins domestic enemies have already been falling from windows in high buildings with great regularity, the Wagner high brass must know their days are now numbered anywhere they go.
“Shoplifter Blowtorches Security Measure in Packed Store, Is Openly Stealing Within Seconds”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/06/shoplifter-blowtorches-security-measure-packed-store-openly-stealing/
That is absolutely freaking crazy.
@alan, never fear, bacon was indeed consumed. I just forgot to list it.
@crawdaddy, I’ll second your reccos, I found Keen to be ugly, bulky, but comfortable and durable. I like their last- big toe box… Allen Edmunds for dress or dress casual if you can afford them. I buy them at Goodwill. Sold about 50 pairs in an auction. There are great deals on ebay. I’ve kept the ones that fit me. Luccesse has a funny last, they don’t fit me, even in the right size 10.5EEE I have a high arch, not a particularly wide foot, and I can’t even get my foot ‘around the corner’ into Luccesse. I don’t have the same issue with other brands. I’ve got some Dan Post boots that are simple and black that I find very versatile. My favorite dress shoe is a vintage Florscheim Imperial, full wing. They look great and fit perfectly. Heavy as sin, and will outlast me. Check out Steve at bedo’s leatherworks on youtube for recrafting and repair. He does some beautiful work.
————————–
White guy stealing with the blow torch… wonder what was in the plastic security bins?
————————–
Was gonna sit on the dock tonight, but it’s so humid I can’t. 84F and at least 80%RH without even a hint of a breeze. I tried to fish for a few minutes and sweat was dripping from my nose.
All hail Mr Carrier.
n
It is a blessing to be clean, cool, and dry after being in the machines sweating all day. The sun did eventually come out and it was blazing.
n
“Today We Died”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/06/21/today-we-died/
Greta Thunberg sent out a tweet five years ago that we are all dead in five years unless we stop using fossil fuels immediately.
Obviously, just another failed prophet. You know what God said to do with failed prophets …
Pardon me, Dr. Greta Thunberg.
https://cne.news/article/2784-climate-activist-greta-thunberg-receives-theological-honorary-doctorate
>> So off to walmart pet rx .com. Much better price than the vet. My order has been waiting for approval from the vet for two weeks. Since 6/10. I reckon it ain’t happening.
Costco’s pharmacy has good prices on pet meds. And you can use the pharmacy even if you are not a member. Just tell the person checking IDs at the door that you’re going to fill an Rx.
Another savings for pets is self-administering their yearly vaccinations, if your state allows it. Here we can do anything but rabies. If you’re allowed, you can get them at Tractor Supply or CAL Ranch.
Another story about lots of pennies…
https://jalopnik.com/georgia-auto-dealer-who-paid-ex-employee-with-90-000-oi-1850565176
9,000 ton presses, what can you say except “Jesus (Truck)”
I’m done… stick a fork in me. Off to the land of nod…
n
>> “Shoplifter Blowtorches Security Measure in Packed Store, Is Openly Stealing Within Seconds”
Begs the question, does HD and Lowes keep their blowtorches locked up?
EBay/Amazon Gold.