Cold and clear. Warming later, to a nice day, then cold. That should be the pattern for a while, with the starting temp slowly falling. Nice day once it warms up.
Did stuff at home in the morning yesterday, waiting to get the eldest child from school. Then did some pickups to the north of me. Today I’ll do pickups to the south…
Got home and made dinner. Visiting sibling so I made one of the picanha roasts (the sirloin cap) with smashed turnips, and brusselsprouts sauteed with onion and truffle oil. D2’s homemade Tollhouse cookies for dessert. Kid is learning to make some fine cookies. Then we did a small gift exchange. Sibling will not be here for Christmas, so we did it early.
These are the good ole’ days.
I’m still thinking about a bigger post. Have to get some quiet time to get it together. And some things have to work themselves through in my head…
In the mean time, the best advice I can give, you’ve heard about a thousand times, stack what you’ll need. Getting it might be a problem sooner than you think.
nick
Picanha / sirloin cap: that’s Tafelspitz over here, and it’s what we’re having for Christmas dinner; veal poached in broth, served with mixed winter vegetables and horseradish sauce. The spiritual home of Tafelspitz is Vienna: https://www.plachutta-wollzeile.at/en/tafelspitz
Another era?
March. They’re daring you to say the complete title.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gizIbhk5Eu4
Universal is the least bankrupt studio right now because of Super Mario, but Comcast stock isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire right now.
The first thing I thought when I saw the male lead is “Soy Boy — Didn’t I see him in a commercial for ‘Beyond Meat’?”
I’ve been in Austin too long.
Comcast. Citrix. No doubt lots of hookers and steaks were involved in that sales contract.
Citrix was old Boca IBM, but I imagine a lot of those guys are dead or retired now.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/18/24007082/xfinity-data-breach-hack-notice-citrix
One of the reasons I believe “Lethal Weapon” is the superior Christmas movie over “Die Hard”: Darlene Love as Mrs. Roger Murtaugh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shr8aESYZcY
I don’t know if Letterman should mess with the last performance of that song, but it would be cool to see David Sanborn show up.
I also have no doubt that “working from home” was at the root of the breach. Probably unsecured RDP.
Wow, well it shows the power of the media! Someone clearly decided that the previous results when searching for “magical negro” needed to be obliterated… and this was the result.
————————
44F when I got up, 43F now. Clear day, with the sun shining, and not much breeze. Should be nice today.
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Finished Ready Player One. Trying really hard to avoid spoilers, but HOLY MOLY there is a hack job of a scene that reads like an editor said “but this obvious plot point isn’t anywhere in the book…I can’t get it published without it.”
So the author writes a page and a half… in the most wooden and formulaic way possible, before returning to the story.
I enjoyed it, the payoff is there at the end, and I’m more than a bit impressed that this is the author’s first published work. Seems kinda intensely personal in a background way, so I don’t figure his next one would be as much fun…
n
Retired British Colonel Richard Kemp embedded with IDF in Gaza:
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2023/12/richard-kemp-reports.php
Missed this last month
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12879723/Scottsdale-Police-Department-shooting-video.html
Harrowing moment Arizona cops get into a shootout with a kidnapping suspect outside of a Mexican restaurant as hail of bullets leaves suspect dead
– there is a clear picture of the dead guy’s rifle at the very end of the video, not an AK.
n
From the CDC
Respiratory illness activity is rising
– pretty carefully worded to imply more than it actually states.
n
From an article about a nurse at the border..
– indeed, who knows? Well, you could ask. As part of that medical care and screening. Like does she need a pregnancy and STD screen? But then you’d have to acknowledge the truth, and you’d have to tell people like the article’s author the truth…
– “one” would only think that if they were completely unaware of reality. It’s not even “most” anymore.
n
There are only so many unskilled jobs to go around, living expenses are high, and the culture disgusting north of the border.
@greg:
But still they come…
G.
because even picking up a couple hours of casual labor pays more than sitting in the dirt at home.
because they aren’t working anyway, they are cartel soldiers
because they expect to get all the freebies, and not work
n
Finished Ready Player One. Trying really hard to avoid spoilers, but HOLY MOLY there is a hack job of a scene that reads like an editor said “but this obvious plot point isn’t anywhere in the book…I can’t get it published without it.”
So the author writes a page and a half… in the most wooden and formulaic way possible, before returning to the story.
I enjoyed it, the payoff is there at the end, and I’m more than a bit impressed that this is the author’s first published work. Seems kinda intensely personal in a background way, so I don’t figure his next one would be as much fun…
More of the same without the newness of the first book. There is better stuff out there. Even looks like Spielberg passed on the second book to movie.
There are only so many unskilled jobs to go around, living expenses are high, and the culture disgusting north of the border.
They are getting money from various groups and the feddies and free housing in many cities. It is sad and infuriating.
The demand for free goods is infinite.
Strong recommendation for a fantasy story: Mother of Learning
He wrote it over about seven years, publishing chapters online. About 800k words total. About $18US for the whole thing , which is very good. (And which is less than half of what I sent the author directly a few years ago, when both daughter and I were enjoying the incomplete story.)
The Beard needs to retire.
There is a new Frontlines book from Marko Kloos coming out on Jan 1, 2024:
https://www.amazon.com/Scorpio-Frontlines-Evolution-Marko-Kloos/dp/154203549X?tag=ttgnet-20/
The Beard needs to retire.
Why ?
“BREAKING: US Border Patrol Calls Illegal Alien Invasion the ‘Worst Day We’ve Ever Seen’”
https://rumble.com/v424qwe-breaking-us-border-patrol-calls-illegal-alien-invasion-the-worst-day-weve-e.html
Hat tip to:
https://thelibertydaily.com/
We are being invaded but y’all already knew that. I think that the majority of the USA populace is starting to realize this now.
>> What’s the current figure? 10k/day? That’s 3.6 million/year? And those are the ones they know about. That is simply not sustainable.
Illegally crossing a border must be so dangerous that people stop trying to do it. On top of that, you need to remove the reward: when an illegal immigrant is found, you must immediately deport them.
One of the items that’s been promised as part of his ‘DOODD’ (Day One One Day Dictatorship)…
“We’re closing the border”
>> I also did what I could to drain the irrigation system, and opened the valves, and disconnected the hoses from them. I hope that’s enough to prevent damage.
@nick, can you install something like this? Assuming you have an air compressor at the BOL, right?
https://www.amazon.com/Winterize-Sprinkler-System-Blow-Adapter/dp/B0056WQ7OU?tag=ttgnet-20/
>> Lynn says:
Wow, the Pope’s Bible must be different from mine.
Well, it may be…if this is @Lynn’s “Bible”:
https://www.amazon.com/GARRISON-GRIP-Lettering-Adjustable-Medium-Sized/dp/B075ZS9FG9?tag=ttgnet-20/
“S&P: US heads into 2024 producing more oil than any country in history”
https://www.ogj.com/general-interest/economics-markets/article/14302942/sp-us-heads-into-2024-producing-more-oil-than-any-country-in-history
“Fourth-quarter 2023 US total liquids production stands at 21.4 million b/d, of which 13.3 million b/d is crude and condensate with the balance composed of natural gas liquids and biofuels. Both totals are global records. At the same time, both Brazil and Canada are poised to achieve their highest production levels in history. All three nations are on track to establish new national highs again in 2024.”
“Not only is the US producing more oil than any country in history, but the amount of oil (crude oil, refined products, and natural gas liquids) that it is exporting is near the total production of Saudi Arabia or Russia. When you look back on 2008—when US production was at a 62-year low, and exports were zero—it is a remarkable turnaround,” said Jim Burkhard, vice-president and head of research for oil markets, energy and mobility, S&P Global Commodity Insights.”
This is the result of a decade of investment in crude oil exploration and production. There is not much going on now due to the low prices for crude oil and natural gas. There is transportation infrastructure work going on but not a lot of that either. You have to go through so many federal and state agencies that the time is measured in years and decades.
Spielberg hasn’t been “Spielberg” since “Minority Report”, and that was 20 years ago.
You have to go through so many federal and state agencies and politicians’ pockets that the time is measured in years and decades.
Fixed it for you.
Spielberg hasn’t been “Spielberg” since “Minority Report”, and that was 20 years ago.
I think that “Ready Player One”, “Bridges Of Spies”, “The Terminal”, and “Catch Me If You Can” were awesome.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=spielberg+movies#wxpd=browse:true
The Banana Republic of Colorado:
https://hotair.com/headlines/2023/12/19/auto-draft-933-n600215
Can they recall judges in CO, or do they have to use the banana republic way?
I pre-ordered when it was first announced.
LOL a totally political based vote. This is a case Dumbos are trying to enact in all States. This will be overruled.
The real dumbassery is if the GOP doesn’t make tRump it’s nominee. That is a sure thing for plugs’ corpse to win.
Comcast has a massive data breach. Comcast is now forcing everyone to change their passwords. This required on my iPhone, iPad, Desktop and MacBook. I also got an email that my monthly amount is going to increase about $10.00. Comcast is incompetent, shafts the users, then charges them more for the privilege.
When cable and high speed internet was placed in my town the franchise was configured in such a way that no competitor was allowed in the town. Xfinity is paying the city a substantial amount for the exclusivity that Xfinity enjoys. There is really no viable alternative for my location.
Now that Xfinity is losing customers in other markets due to competition, Xfinity is jacking up the rates and reducing the service in other markets where competition does not exist. Xfinity is just an evil company from the ground up.
In other news Trump is not allowed to be on the ballot in Colorado. Due to the 14th amendment, at least in Colorado’s interpretation.
What I don’t understand is how Colorado arrived at the decision. The 14th does deny anyone who “engaged in insurrection” to not hold a civil, military or elected office. OK, that is probably good.
But would that not require a conviction of insurrection by a court, a judge and perhaps a jury? How can someone be found guilty of insurrection with no conviction by any court other than the courts of public and idiot congress critter’s opinions?
The Colorado Supreme Court made the decision. Based on opinion? A court which never participated in the hearings has made a decision based on those hearings. There has been no conviction of insurrection, just testimony. To have a court issue such a ruling, a punishment, without a conviction is troubling.
Who is the legacy phone company? Bell Atlantic/Verizon or BellSouth/AT&T?
God help you if it is a former GTE area handed to Frontier.
My weed head former partner at the Death Star works at Comcast now. He moved to Colorado so he could imbibe freely and changed jobs about four years ago.
In other news Trump is not allowed to be on the ballot in Colorado. Due to the 14th amendment, at least in Colorado’s interpretation.
What I don’t understand is how Colorado arrived at the decision. The 14th does deny anyone who “engaged in insurrection” to not hold a civil, military or elected office. OK, that is probably good.
But would that not require a conviction of insurrection by a court, a judge and perhaps a jury? How can someone be found guilty of insurrection with no conviction by any court other than the courts of public and idiot congress critter’s opinions?
The Colorado Supreme Court made the decision. Based on opinion? A court which never participated in the hearings has made a decision based on those hearings. There has been no conviction of insurrection, just testimony. To have a court issue such a ruling, a punishment, without a conviction is troubling.
Dumbrocrats. Marxists. Communists. Makes me wonder how we are going to continue living with them in the long run. This relationship is not going well. If I were a psychologist, I would say that we need a Time Out.
I suspect that SCOTUS is going to jump in the Colorado fray. I get the feeling that they are going to spank the Colorado Supreme Court.
https://resistthemainstream.com/trump-barred-from-appearing-on-states-2024-ballot-court/
So Minnesota is now a muslim state. This does not bode well. “Minnesota Flag Redesigned After Old One Deemed Offensive”
https://resistthemainstream.com/minnesota-flag-redesigned-after-old-one-deemed-offensive/
Colorado wasn’t going to go Republican.
Half of the country will lose their sh*t if Trump is re-elected. Assuming 2024 goes off without incident and the Republicans prevail, 2026 will be a rerun of 2018.
The C-suites have thrown in with the Dems, and much of the industry in the US will either end up in Bankruptcy or foreign owned like US Steel before the execs walk away from the agenda.
The American film studios will be first.
Yeah, insolvent. Trump tho.
I love when recruiters call the house looking to talk to my wife into moving us back Oregon and their office call back number is a Fort Lauderdale exchange in 954.
Another one called this afternoon.
At some point in the last few years, I had one tell me that we “did it wrong” when it came to working in Vantucky. I recognized the area code and exchange he gave me immediately.
I said, “Really? You’re calling me from that office building behind the Outback Steakhouse near the cruise docks, right? Heading to happy hour at Carlos and Pepe’s later? Maybe hit on SAS stewardesses over at the Embassy Suites during free popcorn and cookies? I’m not going to take a lecture about how to live in Oregon or Washington from someone who lives on the f—ing beach in Fort Lauderdale.”
Click.
Gorsuch has the 10th District which includes Colorado.
The Supreme Court challenge was probably expected. The case sets up the Dems selling their base on the need for six more Justices as part of the Jesus Candidate’s platform next Fall.
Some of you still believe that Corn Pop will be the Dem nominee.
What is the term @SteveF likes to use? Sweet Summer Child?
The Monday night we rolled into Madison last month, the local Palestinian contingent had a large protest rally near the WI state capitol building, getting close enough to the road that I worried about smacking one with our rental.
My wife requested a Nissan Rogue-type vehicle, but the only thing left at the rental car lot in that class was a BMW X5 which no one else wanted that day so we got it for the price of a Rogue.
I was less worried about hurting the protesters than I was about what hitting one with the X5 would have done to my insurance since we waived the additional coverage.
Minnesota has been hajji for a long time. They have a serious problem with people going to fight somewhere and then returning from jihad to Minneapolis. IIRC they are the largest supplier of jihadis in the US.
n
“Some of you still believe that Corn Pop will be the Dem nominee.”
Unless Dr. Jill has a stroke.
And even then, what could they offer The Kamel to get her out of the way…
unless she wants to be Chief Justice?
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2023/12/19/politically-connected-trans-activist-arrested-for-child-rape-n600087
Charge, convict, straight into genpop.
Tra-la-freakin’-la.
>> There is really no viable alternative for my location.
How about StarLink?
Finals ended Thursday and you’re finally free.
I have a roof project and work responsibility for dollar amounts measured with numbers in the ‘b’-word range.
Oh, commencement is tomorrow.
Grading had to be done by … what time? Midnight Eastern?
Four postings sent to spam. I can do this all night long.
I guess that it put its tweed jacket back in storage until the next time it gets hired.
Man, I really dislike nymshifters. They are the suck.
Cool, we are suppose to get two inches of rain this weekend. I was out killing fire ants this morning and noted that the front yard is drier than a bone. The back yard has the septic system sprinklers …
https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/tx/richmond?cm_ven=localwx_10day
Starlink is not actually available everywhere, thru policy, not physics. And HOLY CROW, it’s not cheap.
n
@lynn, thanks.
The Colorado decision even made headlines here. The 14th amendment is all well and good, but in the absence of an actual conviction? Definitely political. Will Trump have enough time to appeal to the Supreme Court?
Comcast also made headlines on the various tech sites. Critical, zero-day breach. Patched 13 days after the patch was available. During those 13 days, info on their entire customer base stolen. One tech guy would used to work for Comcast said that he doesn’t understand what happened, because they do have a solid security team. Solid bet: management issues of some sort.
If he is still upright, yes. Why would the puppeteers give up a perfectly good puppet? Also, who else? Can you seriously see the current non-entity Vice President as a viable candidate?
Bags? Bajillions? Binary?
Sadly, our finals are in January. But I do have a solid two week break between end of semester and start of finals. The students, not so much.
I liked being a student – it was seriously a great time – but I still remember taking my last ever final exam and thinking: “I’m done. No more finals, ever”. I may still go back and audit some courses in my dotage, but I certainly don’t need exam stress ever again.