Fri. Aug. 16, 2024 – where did the week go?

By on August 16th, 2024 in culture, decline and fall

More heat and humidity. I’m ready to start cooling down. Hot with rain day before yesterday, hot with sun yesterday, and hot today.

I did my running around yesterday afternoon, then did my kid duties, and hit the store for soda and snacks. Other than pork shoulder, nothing good on sale, so my bill was high and my savings were low.

One of the errands was a scrap run. I had the broken Samsung washing machine on the truck, and I had some scrap stacked in the driveway. I took some copper pipe, some brass plumbing, a scooter, and some old lead batteries. Got about $55. Copper and brass are paying ok, mixed or shred steel, not so much. Lead is much less than it was two years ago. Scrap prices tend to go up or down with the health of the economy. I’d say it’s ‘middling’ right now.

Burned a steak for dinner. I was busy mashing turnips and left the steak on the grill 2 minutes too long. It was still edible and tasty but there was a little too much “taste of the grill”.

Today I’ve got another couple of pickups. I’ll get the kids out of the house, then get started. I’ve also got all the other stuff from the list, and getting ready for my show in about 10 days.

It’s a busy time with school starting back up, and all the other stuff going on. All I have to do is not falter…

Stack. And then stack some more.
n

67 Comments and discussion on "Fri. Aug. 16, 2024 – where did the week go?"

  1. Greg Norton says:

    ““I will use an Executive Order to end the Second Amendment.” – Kamala Harris”

    ““We will confiscate all weapons of war starting with AR15s.” – Tim Walz”

    Texas and 30+ states will secede that day. We won’t wait for the gun seizure squads.

    There really isn’t a point to getting revved up over anything they say right now.

    Nothing is real until the nominee gives the acceptance speech on Thursday.

  2. Greg Norton says:

    Again, the Williamson County Sheriff wasn’t defeated for reelection in 2020. He was deposed with the help of the Travis County DA because the Wilco Sheriff regularly embarrassed Austin PD and the Travis County Sheriff.

    https://www.fox7austin.com/news/robert-chody-trial-paused-williamson-county-tx

    A lot of people watched “Live PD” pre-pandemic. Travis County would have signed off on the paperwork for the positive PR in the wake of the Austin Bomber fiasco — remember that?

    The local Faux News was MIA in the “Summer of Love” so now they’re playing catchup.

  3. Greg Norton says:

    Cleaning out paperwork around the house yesterday, I noted that my daugher’s financial aid “award” letter for this academic year from [Texas state school] included entries for $2000 per semester in Federal student loans with a 1% origination fee and 6% annual interest.

    F*ckers.

    I’m going to have to verify that she did not accept those loans. We’re doing a lot of work and making some sacrifices to cash flow whatever the real scholarship award money doesn’t cover.

    To recap, the Federal student loan program interest funds the US Government since the program was nationalized to make Obamacare ‘revenue neutral’ under reconciliation.

  4. Nick Flandrey says:

    It’s like when the Finance dept at the dealership adds the “full service” coverage to the loan, that costs as much as the car, and suddenly you’re paying double.  Because you can barely afford the loan, and the dealer knows you won’t DO any maintenance because you can’t afford it… and they want the car in good shape when they repo it.   

    —————

    Starting the day in the mid70s.  It won’t last though.  It’s already starting to get sunny.

    ————–

    Kid snacks are bagged, just waiting for everyone to get moving now.

    n

  5. Ray Thompson says:

    ““I will use an Executive Order to end the Second Amendment.” – Kamala Harris”

    Executive orders do not apply to the general public, only government workers, military and some contractors. For the Humper to do what she claims would require a constitutional amendment, ratified by 66% of the states. That is never going to happen.

    ““We will confiscate all weapons of war starting with AR15s.” – Tim Walz”

    He cannot confiscate something that is not illegal. He may think so, but he is not a man of rational thinking, just like his running mate.

  6. Greg Norton says:

    It’s like when the Finance dept at the dealership adds the “full service” coverage to the loan, that costs as much as the car, and suddenly you’re paying double.  Because you can barely afford the loan, and the dealer knows you won’t DO any maintenance because you can’t afford it… and they want the car in good shape when they repo it.   

    Pre-pandemic, the student loan paper was the most valuable revenue generating asset owned by the Federal Government, and having everyone on the hook for some debt is obviously a valuable political tool, even if the loans are paid off.

    Before the Supreme Court killed Corn Pop’s scheme last July, Navient offered my wife a $10k check to reopen her Federal student loan account on the premise that the money would be hers free and clear under the repayment plan.

    The offer came via her email, which I never would have seen if she chose to keep it to herself. How convenient.

    Of course, everyone who took the offer is now on the hook for the money, probably at the 5-6%, and the monthly payments would be much harder to hide than if Biden’s plan had passed the Supreme Court review and the debt simply forgiven.

    I gotta wonder how many Wine Moms with Bad Daddy issues took Navient up on that offer and are now facing payments that are tough to conceal as household budgets tighten.

    Yeah, I’m being sexist, but that’s who is going to decide this election.

  7. Greg Norton says:

    Yeah, I’m being sexist, but that’s who is going to decide this election.

    Here in Texas, the Wine Mom’s with Bad Daddy issues are the demo who will vote for Collin Zachary over Rafael Edward.

    I think Cruz is in trouble.

  8. Bob Sprowl says:

    Gavin: Re Ranger rear end swap

    I swaped a 1999 3.73 traction lock for a 2003 3.55 traction lock in 2014.  I expected speedimeter issues.  Did not happen, speedimeter read correctly.  Apparently the sensor in the rear end sends the correct RPM to the dash regardless of the axle ratio.  

  9. MrAtoz says:

    …ratified by 66% of the states. That is never going to happen.

    This is fodder for the sheeple. The Free-Shit-Army will vote for the creature that promises them the most. The funny part is the sheeple have no idea about how any of this works. An EO, really? The Kamel Humper is the dumbest of the dumb.

  10. Ken Mitchell says:

    For the Humper to do what she claims would require a constitutional amendment, ratified by 66% of the states.

    THREE FOURTHS of the States;  38 states must ratify a Constitutional amendment. There is no way for this level of agreement to be reached on ANY topic.

    https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-5/

  11. Greg Norton says:

    THREE FOURTHS of the States;  38 states must ratify a Constitutional amendment. There is no way for this level of agreement to be reached on ANY topic.

    IIRC, Mississippi didn’t ratify the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery until the 1990s. 

    I know Florida never even looked at the 16th amendment legalizing the Income Tax. My middle school Florida History class happened during the era when the Civil War was still The War of Northern Aggression, and Hearst Media, who drove several amendments after the Civil War, including the 16th, viewed with deep suspicion in The South long after Hearst himself died.

    Florida along with Georgia and South Carolina never took up the 17th, providing for the direct election of Senators, another Hearst project intended to punish the former Confederacy.

  12. Ray Thompson says:

    THREE FOURTHS of the States;  38 states must ratify a Constitutional amendment

    Yeh, my brain fart. Thanks for the correction. No need to shout, my hearing aids work fine. 🙂

  13. Greg Norton says:

    So the Jesus Truck buyers are so horny for the vehicle that they take delivery of their $100k sex toy purchase in less than ideal condition?

    https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/cybertruck-buyers-get-unusual-surprise-a-brand-new-truck-delivered-with-dirt-and-mud-eccd274a

  14. MrAtoz says:

    THREE FOURTHS of the States;  38 states must ratify a Constitutional amendment. There is no way for this level of agreement to be reached on ANY topic.

    You might get the States to go for “federal congressional term limits”, but said critters would never ratify it.

  15. Ken Mitchell says:

    You might get the States to go for “federal congressional term limits”, but said critters would never ratify it.

    The only way that term limits are ever enacted is through the alternative process; a Convention of States. But this would be dangerous, because once that convention is opened, there’s NO LIMIT on the changes they could make. They could, conceivably, rewrite the entire Constitution de novo.

  16. Greg Norton says:

    You might get the States to go for “federal congressional term limits”, but said critters would never ratify it.

    The only way that term limits are ever enacted is through the alternative process; a Convention of States. But this would be dangerous, because once that convention is opened, there’s NO LIMIT on the changes they could make. They could, conceivably, rewrite the entire Constitution de novo.

    The First Amendment would be the first to go in a Convention situation along with the Electoral College.

    That is, if a Convention actually convenes. I doubt Vanguard and Blackrock would let that happen.

    I’m sure the Geico Gecko would be opposed as well.

  17. Lynn says:

    “O Please, O Please, O Please…”

        http://raconteurreport.blogspot.com/2024/08/o-please-o-please-o-please.html

    ““I will use an Executive Order to end the Second Amendment.” – Kamala Harris”

    ““We will confiscate all weapons of war starting with AR15s.” – Tim Walz”

    Texas and 30+ states will secede that day. We won’t wait for the gun seizure squads.

    Aesop disagrees with me: 

    Aesop said…”

    “No, they won’t.
    They’ll collectively declare the DC government to be a de facto tyrannical abortion, and destroy it and all its agents and adherents, in about a month. Possibly in about a week.
    There will be no secession, there will simply be recognition that the republic has suffered a tyrannical coup, and a reckoning and readjustment will occur.”

    “Being a federal employee at that point will adjust one’s life expectancy down to a span measured between hours, and minutes.”

    Ah, Aesop is going with the Matt Bracken “What I Saw At The Coup” approach:

       https://www.americanpartisan.org/2020/09/bracken-what-i-saw-at-the-coup/

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  18. Lynn says:

    “This is what makes August’s full moon rare and blue”

        https://www.chron.com/news/space/article/super-blue-moon-19660425.php

    “This will be the first of four consecutive supermoons this year.”

    “The next full moon will be special in more ways than one. Not only will it be the biggest, brightest moon of the year thus far, it is also known as a “Blue Moon.” Traditionally called the “Full Sturgeon Moon” in honor of the time of year the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were readily caught, this month’s full moon will rise 1:28 p.m. CT on Monday, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. That evening, look toward the southeast after sunset to catch a glimpse of the moon rising. Per NASA, the moon will appear full for three days, from Sunday morning through early Wednesday morning. “

    Cool !

  19. Lynn says:

    Burned a steak for dinner. I was busy mashing turnips and left the steak on the grill 2 minutes too long. It was still edible and tasty but there was a little too much “taste of the grill”.

    D1 and D2 now know what “well done” means.  If they are true carnivores, they won’t do that again.

    You are always the teacher.

    My wife eats steaks “well done”.  Not much difference between her steak and show leather.

  20. Lynn says:

    ““We will confiscate all weapons of war starting with AR15s.” – Tim Walz”

    He cannot confiscate something that is not illegal. He may think so, but he is not a man of rational thinking, just like his running mate.

    Hmm.  Didn’t Roosevelt confiscate all of the nation’s gold in the 1930s by Executive Order ?

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_6102

    Just because it is not a legal EO does not mean that they will not do it.  I am extremely worried about my two gold crowns when the Dollar dies.

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  21. Lynn says:

    ““We will confiscate all weapons of war starting with AR15s.” – Tim Walz”

    He cannot confiscate something that is not illegal. He may think so, but he is not a man of rational thinking, just like his running mate.

    Plus, he is a liar and a Karen.

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  22. Lynn says:

    Yeah, I’m being sexist, but that’s who is going to decide this election.

    I am reading some 1940s science fiction right now.   It is incredibly sexist.  Just as if it was a different world.

  23. Lynn says:

    …ratified by 66% of the states. That is never going to happen.

    This is fodder for the sheeple. The Free-Sh**-Army will vote for the creature that promises them the most. The funny part is the sheeple have no idea about how any of this works. An EO, really? The Kamel Humper is the dumbest of the dumb.

    JD Vance promised to raise the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $5,000 per child this morning.  Sounds good to me, we need more kids.

  24. Lynn says:

    I think Cruz is in trouble.

    Nah.  Not yet.

    But, the demographics have changed radically from the 2016 election.  There are 40 million more liberals in the country as the baby boomers are dropping like flies and the Gen Z’ers are turning 18 every 8 seconds. Heard that on Coast to Coast last night driving home.

  25. Greg Norton says:

    My wife eats steaks “well done”.  Not much difference between her steak and show leather.

    Back in the day, Bern’s in Tampa used to refuse to cook certain steaks to “well done”.

  26. Greg Norton says:

    Hmm.  Didn’t Roosevelt confiscate all of the nation’s gold in the 1930s by Executive Order ?

    Just because it is not a legal EO does not mean that they will not do it.  I am extremely worried about my two gold crowns when the Dollar dies.

    Yes, through a very narrow interpretation of the Trading With The Enemy Act of 1917, amended in 1933.

    The language of the bill legalizing the private ownership of gold does not invalidate the interpretation of law under which the seizure happened but simply reinstates the ability of private individuals to own the metal.

    IIRC, the founder of Blanchard & Co., who advertises with Cutie Pie (or did), lobbied Congress and provided the text of the bill.

    The EO could be reinstated with a stroke of a President’s pen. That’s the risk of ownership.

    The legend is that Roosevelt issued the order out on the yacht at the suggestion of the guest he was entertaining that evening.

  27. Greg Norton says:

    Just because it is not a legal EO does not mean that they will not do it.  I am extremely worried about my two gold crowns when the Dollar dies.

    I wouldn’t worry about your crowns. Very little gold was actually seized under the ban, and the large scale drilling of safe deposit boxes looking for gold is a myth.

    Plus, I believe the language of the EO specified gold in “negotiable form”, not jewelry or teeth.

    Roosevelt was probably liquored up and anticipating banging his cousin later in the evening on the yacht. Whoever put the suggestion into his head probably caught old Franklin in a weak moment. Maybe it was his cousin!

  28. Greg Norton says:

    JD Vance promised to raise the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $5,000 per child this morning.  Sounds good to me, we need more kids.

    Kamala is going to propose a $25k credit/loan for first time home buyers.

    With 3% down mortgages, that will put a $700k floor under most houses, similar to the $240k which Obama established with the $8,000 tax credit/loan more than a decade ago and put us in the current mess with the Fed writing the loan paper to keep the market afloat.

    No one wants to take a haircut now on housing. Imagine what will happen when everyone is a millionaire on paper.

    Still, haircuts are coming, one way or another.

  29. Alan says:

    >>The Kamel Humper is the dumbest of the dumb.

    Hey, she was just reading whatever TPTB put up on the Teleprompter. 

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  30. Alan says:

    >>So the Jesus Truck buyers are so horny for the vehicle that they take delivery of their $100k sex toy purchase in less than ideal condition?

    Whatever Tony decides, his sheeple will follow…,

  31. Lynn says:

    “What we know (and don’t) about Kamala Harris’s economic plan”

        https://finance.yahoo.com/news/what-we-know-and-dont-about-kamala-harriss-economic-plan-141836128.html

    “Harris announced plans in her speech focused on what she called food “price gouging” — with new limits that would be accomplished through new rulemaking authority at regulatory agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).”

    “Speaking about her food efforts Friday, Harris said she thought most businesses are playing by the rules “but some aren’t [and] we need to take action when that is the case.””

    “This aspect of the Harris plan also came in for immediate criticism from various corners. The Trump campaign called it “a government price fixing scheme” and some non-partisan economists also suggested it could instead lead to shortages.”

    More paperwork for all to fill out and send in !  And lawsuits for those grocery stores (Kroger) who raise prices beyond the government approved amount of 1% per year.

  32. Lynn says:

    That reminds me, I still need to fill out the 40+ page “Small Entity Compliance Guide” for my main business to identity who gets a check from it.  We have to give names, social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, amounts, etc.  The IRS already has this information but the government accountability project will not use it for some reason.

    I see a government rectal exam in my future.

  33. Alan says:

    BRB, off to Costco to grab bundles of TP before the limits get put in place… 

    https://youtu.be/RiAgeZUcZ58?si=OHT5sVW8UsL44Eh1

  34. Lynn says:

    xkcd: Helium Synthesis

        https://www.xkcd.com/2972/

    Um, look up in the sky sometime during the daylight.  That big glowing thing in the sky is about 73% hydrogen, 25% helium, and 2% other stuff by mass.  It is a fusion nuclear reactor, fusing hydrogen into helium.   Lots and lots of helium, creating 596 million tons of helium from 600 million tons of hydrogen per second.  The other 4 million tons of hydrogen is converted to energy, the light coming from Sol that keeps us warm on Earth.

    I am wondering when the government will start trying to regulate Sol.  The time is coming.  They want to regulate everything else like grocery stores now.

    Explained at:

       https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2972:_Helium_Synthesis

  35. Greg Norton says:

    More paperwork for all to fill out and send in !  And lawsuits for those grocery stores (Kroger) who raise prices beyond the government approved amount of 1% per year.

    Kroger isn’t the target as much as Wegmans, Publix, HEB, and the other grocery stores not under the control of Wall Street because they are either employee owned or privately held.

    Publicly traded grocery stores can’t make Wall Street or even the Geico Gecko happy for long given the thin margins.

    And forget Disney. If the Dems ever want to have a prayer of winning statewide again in Florida, they will have to take out Publix as a private business interest.

    I’ll bet Publix is doing over-the-counter Ivermectin in Tennessee. Maybe Ray could test that the next time he’s near one of their stores.

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  36. lpdbw says:

    I saw some gloating online that even CNN is covering the Tim Walz DUI story, and panning the Kamala Harris communist economic plan.

    It scares me.

    Up until this moment, I thought she’d sail through the DNC, maybe dropping Walz along the way.  

    Now I’m thinking Obama has given orders to CNN to torpedo both of them.  God knows what we’ll end up with.

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  37. Lynn says:

    “Who the heck designed this thing, anyway?”

       https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/08/who-heck-designed-this-thing-anyway.html

    “The Boeing Starliner space capsule appears to be in more trouble every time I read about it.  The thruster problems experienced during launch and docking with the International Space Station (ISS) have been analyzed to a fare-thee-well, but no solution appears to be imminent – so much so that it may not be safe to allow astronauts to travel aboard the capsule to return to earth.”

    You ain’t getting me in that piece of junk.  FOD in the fuel tank, are you kidding me ?  And uploading a new software update (what is the cpu in that thing, a 8080 eight bit cpu ???) might brick the hatch control system on the ISS ?  What the flock ?

  38. Lynn says:

    “Microsoft ‘temporarily’ pumps the brakes on its intrusive Windows 11 ads after receiving constant backlash from Windows 10 users”

        https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/microsoft-temporarily-pumps-the-brakes-on-its-intrusive-windows-11-ads-after-receiving-constant-backlash-from-windows-10-users

    “Microsoft halts its aggressive Windows 11 ads in Windows 10.”

    I get these on my home Windows 10 Pro x64 PC even though it is too old for Windows 11.

  39. Greg Norton says:

    Now I’m thinking Obama has given orders to CNN to torpedo both of them.  God knows what we’ll end up with.

    Big Mike is coming.

    OTOH, Warner wrote off CNN as having zero value recently so maybe no one cares what happens at Techwood – aka The Old Plantation House – anymore.

    Techwood was the site of Biden’s debate meltdown. The Dems might consider the entire complex to be cursed and want nothing to do with whoever still works there.

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  40. Ken Mitchell says:

    The First Amendment would be the first to go in a Convention situation along with the Electoral College.

    Not necessarily. Remember that while ¾ of the states need to agree to HOLD a new Constitutional Convention, any CHANGES would ALSO require ¾ ratification. The Electoral College is the way the Founders chose to protect the smaller states from the larger cities; I can’t see them giving that up. And the ratification would be by the STATES, not by the individuals at the Convention. 

  41. Greg Norton says:

    I get these on my home Windows 10 Pro x64 PC even though it is too old for Windows 11.

    I don’t see the obnoxiousness on my ThinkPad or primary desktop, both running Windows 10.

    The ThinkPad is too “old” to run Windows 11 but got a clean install of Windows 10 about six months into my ownership of the machine in 2017.

    As for the the primary desktop, the system’s Windows 10 partition was originally installed when the drive lived in the Q6600 system, now a 16 year-old CPU design. Maybe that is a factor.

    I kept the same graphics card in the desktop and swapped motherboards. Other than Windows asking for a new license key, the switch to a Ryzen 5 running on a “business” class ASUS board was seamless.

  42. Lynn says:

    Boeing Starliner – a cry for help (cartoon).

       https://media.townhall.com/cdn/hodl/cartoons/mrz081424dAPC-800×0.jpg

    Snork !

    ROTFLMAO.

  43. Lynn says:

    “SpaceX Announces First Human Flight to Polar Orbit”

       https://thesilicongraybeard.blogspot.com/2024/08/spacex-announces-first-human-flight-to.html

    “On Monday, SpaceX announced they will provide launch and space hardware for the first human flight that will go into a polar orbit. The previous highest latitude a manned spacecraft has flown to is 65.1 degrees, done by the Soviets 61 years ago (1963). The private mission will be led by a Chinese-born cryptocurrency entrepreneur named Chun Wang, and he will be joined by a polar explorer, a roboticist, and a filmmaker whom he has befriended in recent years.”

    It is a pay flight !

    A comment:

    AesopAugust 14, 2024 at 1:00 AM”

    “”Hey guys, any chance you could swing by the ISS and squeeze us in? We could lay on the floor, or curl up in a ball, we don’t take up much room, and we only need a lift back down.” – Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams”

  44. Geoff Powell says:

    Re:Starliner,

    The Register has long referred to the thing as the “Calamity Capsule”, and it’s still living up to that moniker. The entire saga is a fixed price contract from NASA, and is almost certainly a lossmaker for Boeing.

    I personally think that Boeing should not get any more “cost plus” contracts from NASA, just fixed-price deals. Of course, given the pork involved in all space activities, that probably won’t happen.

    G.

  45. Greg Norton says:

    The Register has long referred to the thing as the “Calamity Capsule”, and it’s still living up to that moniker. The entire saga is a fixed price contract from NASA, and is almost certainly a lossmaker for Boeing.

    I personally think that Boeing should not get any more “cost plus” contracts from NASA, just fixed-price deals. Of course, given the pork involved in all space activities, that probably won’t happen.

    Boeing is the primary contractor on the SLS which I believe is “cost plus”.

  46. Ray Thompson says:

    I just got a notification from FedEx that Apple is sending me a package. The package is coming from an Apple Superb. I usually get packages from Apple from their warehouse in Lebanon. Dimensions are 17x5x14 and the weight is 2 pounds. I have not ordered anything from Apple.

    Did FedEx make a mistake? Did Apple make a mistake? Do I have to send the package back if it is valuable (my guess is yes). Any ideas what would be that large, from Apple,  but only weigh 2 pounds?

    My guess is FedEx made a mistake.

  47. Greg Norton says:

    I just got a notification from FedEx that Apple is sending me a package. The package is coming from an Apple Superb. I usually get packages from Apple from their warehouse in Lebanon. Dimensions are 17x5x14 and the weight is 2 pounds. I have not ordered anything from Apple.

    Did the notification arrive via email? It could be a scam.

  48. Ken Mitchell says:

    Do I have to send the package back if it is valuable (my guess is yes). 

    If you receive things that you did not order, then they are gifts. You do not need to pay for them. 

  49. Rick H says:

    Check the validity of the email sender. FedEx does send notices about upcoming shipments if you have signed up for those. But often, those emails are bogus – and the links provided in the emails will take you on a nice journey to ‘malware-land’.

    Unsolicited items received do not have to be paid for, nor do they need to be returned. (US law, as I recall.)

    Unsolicited shipments are often scams – asking you to forward the item – and are often tied to stolen credit cards/accounts.

    “Danger, Wil Robinson!” – extreme caution is advised.

  50. JimB says:

    I don’t get any Microsoft ads for Windows 11 on my Windows 10 system, but I upgraded it from an OEM Windows 7 installation, so there is no bloatware.

  51. Ray Thompson says:

    If you receive things that you did not order, then they are gifts. You do not need to pay for them.

    I thought that only applied to the US Mail, not delivery services.

    Check the validity of the email sender. FedEx does send notices about upcoming shipments if you have signed up for those. But often, those emails are bogus – and the links provided in the emails will take you on a nice journey to ‘malware-land’.

    The notice did not come from an email. The notice came from the FedEx app. I am signed up for delivery notifications. I checked the tracking number on the FedEx website, the number is legitimate. My friend checked the tracking number on his computer, the number is legitimate.

    I never click on links in an email, ever, as in never.

  52. Ray Thompson says:

    Unsolicited shipments are often scams – asking you to forward the item – and are often tied to stolen credit cards/accounts.

    “Danger, Wil Robinson!” – extreme caution is advised.

    Yes, indeed. However, the FedEx app, and web, show the origination as the Apple Superhub and the address. That is the address of the Apple Superhub.

  53. paul says:

    I just watched the 2014 version of Godzilla.  Not bad at all.  The monster fight scenes were too dark to see much of anything.

    I had something else.  … 

    Oh!  The hummingbirds have suddenly 99% vanished.  Instead of a pint a day with 16+ birds squabbling, they went to a pint since Monday and just one or two skittish birds at a time.   Looks like the local flock went towards their Winter home.  They did this about this time last year.  Other years, I didn’t pay attention.

    I guess the skittish birds are passing through.  They are funny.  They know it’s a feeder but it’s not the feeder they are familiar with.  Lots of hovering and acting nervous.

    My big question is “how do they know there is a feeder here?”

    I used a bit more than 25 pounds of sugar this year. 

  54. nick flandrey says:

    I didn’t see a lot of hummingbirds this year.  W filled a feeder last weekend at the BOL, but I hadn’t seen the little buzzers…

    Last time, they were trying to feed on the red kerosene lanterns hanging on the dock house.  I had to put the lanterns away, and hang extra feeders there.

    n

  55. Greg Norton says:

    I just watched the 2014 version of Godzilla.  Not bad at all.  The monster fight scenes were too dark to see much of anything.

    Netflix has the newest Toho “Godzilla” movie, “Godzilla Minus One”.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAYKaslCXPc

  56. Lynn says:

    I just got a notification from FedEx that Apple is sending me a package. The package is coming from an Apple Superb. I usually get packages from Apple from their warehouse in Lebanon. Dimensions are 17x5x14 and the weight is 2 pounds. I have not ordered anything from Apple.

    Did FedEx make a mistake? Did Apple make a mistake? Do I have to send the package back if it is valuable (my guess is yes). Any ideas what would be that large, from Apple,  but only weigh 2 pounds?

    My guess is FedEx made a mistake.

    SCAM !  Do not reply to that email unless you are absolutely sure that it does go back to Fedex.

    I have gotten several of these emails.  They say that they are going to Fedex but they always go back to some weird email address at gmail.

  57. Lynn says:

    “The Left’s Moronic “Green New Deal” Is Halfway Dead Already, and Trump Might Put It Down for Good”

        https://thelibertydaily.com/lefts-moronic-green-new-deal-is-halfway-dead/

    “(WND News Center)—Ignoring recently published science articles reporting that CO2 does not qualify as a greenhouse gas because it doesn’t absorb sufficient energy from the sun to cause global warming, let’s examine the status of the Green New Deal’s impact on different industries.”

    “Beginning with the aviation industry, Epoch Times reported that the goal of the international aviation industry is net zero carbon by 2050 through development of electric and hydrogen-powered engines. Meanwhile, “sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)” is being forced upon aviation companies. SAF is made from renewable biomass and waste resources with usage increasing from 5 million gallons in 2021 to 24.5 million gallons in 2023. Ratios of 5% are mixed with jet fuel, with blends of 50% approved. Bain & Co. consultants predict SAF prices “in 2050 will remain two to four times higher than the historical average of jet fuel,” reducing profit margins and raising ticket prices, as this conversion continues.”

    I am concerned about SAF.  Many biofuels have high cloud points, the point where solids start to form.  Jets routinely travel in very cold places at temperatures to -40 F.  If solids form in the fuel, the engines will fail.  I do not know how many, if any, jets have fuel tank heaters to keep the fuel tanks above zero F.

  58. Lynn says:

    “BREAKING: Supreme Court DENIES Joe and Kamala request to resume transgender pretender rule in schools”

        https://therightscoop.com/breaking-supreme-court-denies-joe-and-kamala-request-to-resume-transgender-pretender-rule-in-schools/

    “The Supreme Court just denied a request Joe and Kamala’s DOJ to resume the Title IX rule that would force schools to allow biological men in women’s sports.”

    “But the decision wasn’t unanimous. Far from it, Justice Neil Gorsuch sided with the three liberals in a 5-4 decision.”

    Looks like Gorsuch is trying to get some street cred with the libs.

  59. Lynn says:

    “Subway Calls ‘Emergency’ Meeting With Franchisees As Fast-Food ‘Value Wars’ Potentially Claim First Casualty”

        https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/subway-calls-emergency-franchisees-fast-food-value-wars-potentially-claim-first-casualty

    “Quick-service restaurants (QSR) are locked in a fierce “value war,” offering cash-strapped consumers $5 meal deals or even better bargains to maintain their market share. This battle for value has intensified as QSR executives recognize that low- and mid-tier households have been financially squeezed by the Biden-Harris economy. With elevated inflation, high interest rates, depleted savings, and maxed-out credit cards, consumers are in rough shape.”

    “The NYPost spoke with a franchisee operator who owns twenty stores. The individual said, “Same-store sales are down 5% to 10% in recent weeks compared to the prior year.” The individual blames the downturn in the chain’s promotions, and foot traffic has plunged.”

    Is Subway going down ?

  60. Lynn says:

    “The Left’s Moronic “Green New Deal” Is Halfway Dead Already, and Trump Might Put It Down for Good”

        https://thelibertydaily.com/lefts-moronic-green-new-deal-is-halfway-dead/

    “(WND News Center)—Ignoring recently published science articles reporting that CO2 does not qualify as a greenhouse gas because it doesn’t absorb sufficient energy from the sun to cause global warming, let’s examine the status of the Green New Deal’s impact on different industries.”

    BTW, I have been saying this about CO2 for a long time.  All chemicals have saturation limits which can vary extremely based on temperature and the mixture.  These saturation amounts are difficult to ascertain in a lab and very difficult to model.  My software spends an enormous amount of code and time trying to figure out saturation limits between the vapor, liquid hydrocarbon, aqueous liquid (mostly water), and solid phases of mixtures.  

    In other words, I doubt that the climate change frauds bother to model saturation limits, not do they even know what they are.

  61. Greg Norton says:

    Looks like Gorsuch is trying to get some street cred with the libs.

    Gorsuch replaced Scalia but clerked for Kennedy and Byron White, occupant of the Payola seat before Ginsberg.

    OTOH, the fastest way to get rid of Title IX would be to fill the scholarship positions with genetic males.

  62. Alan says:

    >> (from yesterday) Oh well. I’ll adapt. I’m the stay at home dad after all. It’s my job.

    @nick, not your first turn at this rodeo and you’ve probably heard this before, so feel free to ‘swipe left.’

    Look at all the advantages, vis-a-vis one-on-one time with your kids. The time flies and when they’re out on their own, you’ll likely miss what you have now.

    I know I do… https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=jmhoOp2fUzg

  63. Alan says:

    >> I also picked up an electric vehicle charger for the BOL, as a convenience to any guests (other than tesla drivers) for <$30.   I figure it’s worth that for the plugs and adapter… it would be nice if it did Tesla too.  I’ll have to decide if I want to be that “nice”.   I’ve had two tesla brand chargers come thru this auction but they sold for real money.

    @nick – look for one of these in your auctions…

    https://www.amazon.com/LENZ-Charging-Adapter-Certified-Compatible/dp/B07VR5QD56?tag=ttgnet-20/

  64. Alan says:

    See, they let her out of the basement for a few hours and…lo and behold…word salad…

    https://twitchy.com/amy-curtis/2024/08/16/meaningless-gibberish-kamalas-word-salad-answer-on-democracy-n2399694

  65. nick flandrey says:

     I do not know how many, if any, jets have fuel tank heaters to keep the fuel tanks above zero F.  

    — wasn’t it a tank heater that supposedly brought down Flight 190?   The one that was maybe shot down off NYC?

    n

  66. nick flandrey says:

    @lynn, I’m on chapter 18 of the first Edge novel, having finished the Kate Daniels world novella “Sanctuary” earlier today.   I already expect that the formula will turn out to be a ‘hidden prince’ story to explain her strong magic… All the series’ are ‘hidden prince’ stories at their root.

    Not getting enough sleep while I’m reading them.   I’m enjoying them though.

    n

  67. Lynn says:

    @lynn, I’m on chapter 18 of the first Edge novel, having finished the Kate Daniels world novella “Sanctuary” earlier today.   I already expect that the formula will turn out to be a ‘hidden prince’ story to explain her strong magic… All the series’ are ‘hidden prince’ stories at their root.

    Not getting enough sleep while I’m reading them.   I’m enjoying them though.

    Not my fault !  I was just telling you where to get the good stuff.  Oh wait …

    I got two more of the onesy Kate Daniels books today, Derek and Julie run away, and Andrea the bouda.   But I am reading my hardback with three books in it, a 1948, a 1950, and 1951.

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