Fri. July 26, 2024 – not feeling the love…

Hot and humid, raining? Maybe. Rained all day yesterday, so why not today too? I’ve got things to do and would like to use the pickup truck, but don’t want everything to get wet… The rain did cool it down yesterday which was nice. Started at 72F and ended at 78F.

Got through a whole day without hearing about issues with my hobby website. Guess I did finally get the DNS fixed and everything critical working right. If it’s not, I’ll hear about it. Didn’t get a lot else done except auction stuff. I did get two small woodworking projects knocked out. That gets the pieces out of my office and the pile of stuff needing attention. It feels like work but it is really work avoidance.

The new fridge is nice and cold, but as it was wet and raining, I didn’t move it into the garage. I have the fridge and freezer on riser stands to make the tops level, and to raise them so it’s a bit easier to get into the back and bottom of the fridge. The new fridge is taller but narrower than the old one. I’ll need to remake the riser for it if I want them to match. I’ll delay that for a day or two and hope for dryer weather. I need to pick up some 2x4s or hit the piles of fence wood…

———-
Got a quote from a facebook guy to connect the whole house gennie. Keep in mind it’s 10 feet from the electrical service and the gas service. $3000. $700 for the gas line, and the rest for the electrical work. Yeah, I don’t think so. At least not yet.

———-
Today I’ve got pickups all over town, east side, west side, south side… and tomorrow, north side. I got some good stuff for the house and the BOL, and even some hobby stuff. I’m definitely shirking getting the house back together though.

———
Dinner last night was a pork loin roast (frozen in 2023), sauteed zucchini with cheese sauce (fresh from store), and shelf stable sourdough bread. Ate about 2 pounds of the roast… For dessert, white chocolate macademia nut cookies, from mix with a best by of 9-21. All the cookies got eaten too. Tonight will be a nice chuck roast in the slow cooker, and another loaf of bread.

Stack some food and the means to cook it. And practice. Yum.

nick

37 Comments and discussion on "Fri. July 26, 2024 – not feeling the love…"

  1. lynn says:

    It is troubling that the Humper is taking the role of the president with this Palestinian debacle. 

    Isn’t the Second Gentleman Jewish?

    Probably a cultural Jew, not a religious Jew.  Most cultural Jews feel that Israel is a boil on the Earth.

  2. lynn says:

    Of course it is pouring down rain.  We are burying my uncle in the Houston National Veterans Cemetary this morning on the northeast side of Houston.

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  3. lynn says:

    “Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris, giving her expected but crucial support”

    https://apnews.com/article/barack-obama-endorses-kamala-harris-joe-biden-48e38547560ae64484399d278c697a7a

    Big Mike ain’t coming.

  4. Greg Norton says:

    Big Mike ain’t coming.

    We shall see.

    I don’t think the other Size 11W has dropped.

  5. Greg Norton says:

    Probably a cultural Jew, not a religious Jew.  Most cultural Jews feel that Israel is a boil on the Earth.

    Followers of the “religion of peace” don’t care. A Jew is a Jew. Kill, convert, or extract tribute.

    The Second Gentleman would get loaded into the boxcar just the same back in Ze Good Old Days, ja.

  6. MrAtoz says:

    Obola has now endorsed The Kamel. It could be a ploy to look innocent if she gets whacked at the Debacle In Chicgacle. “What? Me, a half-Amish, stab a pseudo-Amish in the back?” The Mooch was never gonna run without pallets of cash backed up to one of the McMansions.

  7. Nick Flandrey says:

    72F again this morning, and the rain has slowed for a while.     Had some trouble sleeping and some weird dreams so not feeling fresh as a daisy today.

    ———————–

    More stores closing.

    Discount Retailer Big Lots To Close More Than 50 Stores In California

    by Tyler Durden

    Friday, Jul 26, 2024 – 08:50 AM

    Authored by Katabella Roberts via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Discount retail chain Big Lots is shuttering more than 50 stores across California following a drop in customer spending and economic challenges.

    I used to shop Big Lots fairly often, but haven’t in years.

    ———————–

     Another win against fedgov overreach.

    Federal Judge Overturns ATF Ban On Trigger Devices That Enhance Firing Speed

    by Tyler Durden

    Thursday, Jul 25, 2024 – 07:55 PM

    Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times,

    A federal judge in Texas has ruled in favor of gun rights groups who sued the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in a bid to overturn the agency’s prohibition of forced reset triggers, devices that increase the firing rate of semi-automatic guns.

    U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas wrote in a July 23 order that the ATF exceeded its authority when it classified forced reset triggers as machine guns and, with very narrow exceptions, made them illegal.

    Time for coffee.

    n

  8. Greg Norton says:

    Discount retail chain Big Lots is shuttering more than 50 stores across California following a drop in customer spending and economic challenges.

    I used to shop Big Lots fairly often, but haven’t in years.

    The working class who used to shop at Big Lots don’t live in the working class neighborhoods of California anymore.

  9. EdH says:

    More stores closing.

    Yep.   

    And these are the big chains that get national notice, all the little mom and pop stores and 5-10 store chains with no reserves to back them up are probably dying at two or three times the rate.

    I don’t think that coming up with a fake 3% GDP increase is going to convince anyone that the economy is OK before the election.  Maybe the 25-30% true believers.

  10. JimB says:

    When Big Lots was its former Pic ‘N’ Save, it was much better. They had a lot of odd lots, discontinued, and off-season items. We used to go to one of their central locations, which had room to keep unsold items, and sell them at even lower prices. That is a hard business model to maintain.

    Harbor Freight started that way, and made a successful transition to what it is now.

  11. Nick Flandrey says:

    NASA confirmed earlier this week that they are not ready to announce a return date

    At a briefing, officials said that the Starliner was probably safe enough to fly the two home, but that decision would be made during a review. 

    – so, short of the imminent rapid unscheduled disassembly of the ISS, they don’t trust the vehicle to get them home.  Sounds like stranded to me.

    In a case of “you might die” vs. “you will die”, they’ll take the chance on “might”.   

    I applaud the newfound sense of caution, but point out that they wouldn’t be in this situation if they hadn’t bulled ahead and launched when there were questions about the vessel’s viability.

    They gambled once but now have cold feet.

    n

  12. Nick Flandrey says:

    When Big Lots was its former Pic ‘N’ Save, it was much better.  

    – so  with the rise of resellers discounting online returned merch, store shelves, and out of season goods, one of the pioneers in the business has shifted far from their roots, and is now closing stores.   Kinda ironic.

    – also, when I was in Abu Dhabi for work, 24 years ago, I was very surprised to see a Pic n Save across the street from my hotel… IDK if they were actually related or if the store had stolen the name and trade dress… but it looked just like a store in the US.

    n

  13. Alan says:

    >>It is troubling that the Humper is taking the role of the president with this Palestinian debacle.

    Did you really expect anything different? FJB is enjoying his naps and happy to be back on his 10 to 4 schedule. Hopefully Doc Jill was able to stock up on word search books before yet another dollar store falls victim to Bidenomics and is forced to close, 

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  14. Alan says:

    >>They gambled once but now have cold feet.

    I heard they were trying to call Matt Damon for some potato recipes. 

  15. MrAtoz says:

    I heard they were trying to call Matt Damon for some potato recipes. 

    It is going to be embarrassing if Tony Stark has to rescue them. NASA will probably beg Russia for a rescue before that, though.

  16. MrAtoz says:

    If tRump  is elected, he should cashier NASA and make SpaceX the “New NASA.” No more woke BS.

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  17. Alan says:

    >>Renewed my fishing license.  Just one more poke in the eye from .gov.

    I thought you only need a license if you actually catch a fish?  😉 

  18. Greg Norton says:

    I heard they were trying to call Matt Damon for some potato recipes. 

    It is going to be embarrassing if Tony Stark has to rescue them. NASA will probably beg Russia for a rescue before that, though.

    The Dragon capsule can take seven on a reentry ride if needed, but the trip would be unpleasant.

    Boeing’s capsule can’t be considered “operational” if the astronauts don’t use it for the return home.

  19. MrAtoz says:

    Boeing’s capsule can’t be considered “operational” if the astronauts don’t use it for the return home.

    How many $ billions are down the drain?

  20. EdH says:

    Boeing’s capsule can’t be considered “operational” if the astronauts don’t use it for the return home.

    There was a line in a SF book (a Nathan Lowell novel maybe?) that I would paraphrase as:  “A jouneyman spacer can fix anything on tbe ship, except the hyperdrive”.

    Boeing isn’t there.   SpaceX isn’t either, I suspect.

    (Both the fixing and hyperdrive parts…)

    If SpaceX were to create an UltraHeavy  vehicle, say 20m in core diameter, it could launch a payload section big enough to become a garage for either.  And Hubble.

    You saw it here first.

  21. Rolf Grunsky (The Crimson Tory) says:

    My case with the VA has been remanded back to the board. I am now at the back of the queue. That last time I looked the queue was 85K+. It took a little over four years to get the case originally looked at by the VA and the VA rejected the claim. That is when the lawyers got involved and that took six more months.

    “Delay is the deadliest form of denial” C. N. Parkinson

  22. paul says:

    I hear chips are not good for you.  But I like Doritos and Fritos and Cheetos.  So instead of the big bag of any, I look at the selection of boxes containing little bags.  Like for the kids to take for lunch along with their peanut butter or bologna sandwiches…. wrapped in waxed paper, of course.  Portion control! 

    The boxes of assorted flavors never work.  I don’t like Ranch anything or the fake onion rings.  I’m picky.  I’d just throw that into the trash since I don’t have chickens right now.   There goes half of the box. 

    I wandered pass that section today.  I was going for the little pretzels and some pork rinds.  Oh hey, this looks interesting.  Eighteen approx one ounce bags for $10.  All “Flaming Hot”.  Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, and the weird french fry things. 

    First bag was Puffy Cheetos.  Flavor is ok, texture not so much.  You know, styrofoam peanuts for packaging?  Then for a while anyway they was a biodegradable version, sort of a tan color, you can just toss them into the compost pile.

    Knowing me, you know I tried a bite.  And there you are, Puffy Cheetos with naught but a hint of cardboard for flavor.  So I went through the box of chips and all of the Puffy Cheetos are on the top.  Eat them first. 

    Yeah.  Weirdos Are Us over here.

    Did not give me the burps and cough like any flavor of Cheez-Its.  

    Pretzels don’t bother me.  Original Trisquit don’t bother me.  Saltine crackers and Ritz don’t bother me. 

    I know I’ll never see this assortment of chips for sale ever again.  Because that’s how it goes. 

  23. Greg Norton says:

    I know I’ll never see this assortment of chips for sale ever again.  Because that’s how it goes. 

    I think I’ve seen that assortment of single serving bags at Sam’s in Lakeline.

    I’ll check when we stop this weekend.

  24. paul says:

    I had a packet from Fidelity in today’s mail.  Seems like a certain retiree has a 25 grand death benefit.  I need to send a copy of the death certificate and fill out the whatever form for Withholding  Taxes.  They’ll hold back 10%.  With luck, I’ll get that back when I file taxes. 

    So.  25 grand.  The electric bills total about $140 a month.  It varies with time of year and weather.  Let’s round up, call it $150 a month.

    Uh.  166 months?  13 years?  Assume electric rates increase and I’m now paying $200 a month.  I’m still good for 10 years. 

    Crazy.  I’m going to stuff it all into a t-bill. 

  25. Lynn says:

    Got a quote from a facebook guy to connect the whole house gennie. Keep in mind it’s 10 feet from the electrical service and the gas service. $3000. $700 for the gas line, and the rest for the electrical work. Yeah, I don’t think so. At least not yet.

    Does that include the cost of swapping out the natural gas meter ?  Centerpoint charged Generator Supercenter $450 in 2021 to change my natural gas meter from 450 scfm ??? model to the 1,000 scfm model.  They also changed the meter outlet pressure from 0.5 psig to 2.0 psig for the 210 foot line to the generator.  Then they added a second pressure regulator for the regular house 0.5 psig.

  26. Lynn says:

    Of course it is pouring down rain.  We are burying my uncle in the Houston National Veterans Cemetary this morning on the northeast side of Houston.

    After driving through the monsoon for an hour and 45 miles, we got to the cemetery.  And the rain dropped off significantly.  We had a nice internment ceremony and then went to their church for nice Celebration Of Life meeting.  This is my fourth military burial in the last eight years, three family and one friend.

  27. paul says:

    Sheesh.  My brother got married.  Why I don’t know.  She’s past being able to have a baby.  Well, she had a boob job or something like that.  So to a doctor in Plano.

    Brother wants to drop in for a visit.  That Plano is at least a three hour drive from Burnet, meh, see ya about 8PM.  Which is just about exactly time for bedtime potty walks and we all go to bed.

    I’m going to be tired tomorrow. 

  28. Lynn says:

    Arlo and Janis: $10K off

       https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2024/07/26

    Me too, moving all your stuff is a real pain.

  29. Lynn says:

    “Microsoft wants to make future CrowdStrike outages impossible, and it could mean big changes for security software:

        https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/microsoft-wants-to-make-future-crowdstrike-outages-impossible-and-it-could-mean-big-changes-for-security-software

    “Microsoft appears to want to shift away from security software having kernel access on Windows 11, though the company hasn’t said that outright.”

    Sounds like a good idea. And fix all of the other kernel holes while they are at it.

  30. Greg Norton says:

    Sounds like a good idea. And fix all of the other kernel holes while they are at it.

    Unless things have changed, the driver would have been submitted for WHQL testing.

    I’m wondering if CrowdStrike got a pass on the testing.

    Getting rid of shim drivers would be tough for the VPN vendors.

  31. paul says:

    Brother just called, at 8:30, that he just got gas in Hico.  They started this way from Plano at 4:30.  Why  the F he went through Hico is a well, Google Maps said to “go this way”.  

    So, four hours later, at 8:30 in Hico, might be here about 10pm.  Maybe.  Closer to 11pm.  I have some sandwich fixings if they are hungry.    Because I have to assume they stopped for supper somewhere.

    The dogs have gone to bed.   I really want to follow. 

    I’ve gone from Burnet to Garland in 3.5 hours.  Plano is a few miles away. 

  32. Nick Flandrey says:

    Family though.   At our age, that circle starts to shrink.

    n

  33. Lynn says:

    “Two Systems”

        https://areaocho.com/two-systems/

    “The commie assholes that were arrested in DC this week? Half saw their charges dropped, the other half were released without bail.”

    “Contrast that with the J6 protesters who are rotting in jail and receiving sentences measured in decades. Now tell me that our legal system has anything to do with justice.”

  34. Lynn says:

    Family though.   At our age, that circle starts to shrink.

    n

    Been going to a lot more funerals than weddings or births lately.

  35. Greg Norton says:

    “Deadpool and Wolverine” isn’t a great flick, but the creative people had a few things to say.

    The most profound piece of the film is the montage of 20th Century Fox “behind the scenes” clips of their Marvel films from the last 30 years. The culture has lost something important as the major studios circle the drain.

  36. Nick Flandrey says:

    The ‘fish’ claim there is no white historical culture but it’s the water they swim in.   They don’t recognize it because it surrounds and pervades everything about life in the West.   They don’t recognize that without water, fish die.

    Ask a kid about Babe the Big Blue Ox.  Paul Bunyan (a lumberjack, so doublebadungood).  Johnny Appleseed.  Horatio Alger.  The great westward expansion and the mythology that resulted.  The so called “competent man” stories.  

    Outside Texas, ask about the Alamo, Daniel Boone, Bowie,  or any of the great Indian chiefs.

    Annie Oakley – strong independent woman, whose very existence puts the lie to half their ideology. Buffalo Bill. 

    Ask about the great scientist of the ages, the tinkerers and creative geniuses.    You’ll get Mme. Curie.  Maybe Carver.  Possibly another woman or POC.   They’ve changed the name of the units from the white men who built the foundation to impersonal things.

    They celebrate the small and obliterate the large.

    And it’s not by accident.

    n

  37. Alan says:

    Did someone hear a mention of some guy called Eagleton??

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ar-BB1qDn03

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