Wet and dreary today, with warm thrown in… it’s almost like we have to pay for all the beautiful days we had recently… or just that there is variation in the weather. Naw, it’s a conspiracy. Stonecutters or Illuminated probably. In any case a little rain started last night and continues…
[yes, I know the ellipse isn’t used in a grammatically correct way in the paragraph above. I use it as a conversational gimmick, to suggest the ‘trailing off’ of a thought, or as a longer than normal pause in the narrative flow. I’m cool like that.]
Anyway…
Did my pickups yesterday. Chatted with one of the auctioneers who I’ve been dropping verbal hints on for a few weeks. I know he’s politically conservative, most small business owners are. Now I know he’s a doomer and a prepper too. He’s working on his BOL. I won a knock off version of the Big Berkey (sp?) filter and that was the opening he needed. He asked me if I meant to use it or flip it, and to share with him how it worked if I used it. That led to a chat about securing drinking water supplies, and other personal infrastructure. He had intended to go full off grid solar, but ended up with a diesel generator solution because in his words, “he doesn’t care about the noise because he’s way the F out in the middle of no where.” I was surprised he didn’t know about the solar company bankruptcy auction that morning, but he’s an auctioneer on the platform, not a buyer. He did think about keeping the filter for himself. This makes three of my auctioneers that are active preppers or getting started increasing their level of preparedness (that I know of.) He also mentioned that he was prepared to defend what is his from those who might want to take it.
I know that this place has a preponderance of “like minded” people especially wrt certain ideas and topics. That’s to be expected given the focus of my life and the blog. I like to think that there are others who visit, that we don’t hear from too often (but of whom I was reminded while going through some old posts and old comments yesterday) that may have differing views or rate the hazards of life differently. And that is great. Right now, I want to encourage EVERYONE who comes here, and through them, everyone they influence, to consider the cost of prepping vs. the cost of NOT prepping, if the future plays out the way I, and many many others, expect it to. Consider that it’s not just those few of us here, or a few other corners of the intarwebs that think bad things are coming, and indeed have already started arriving. Ordinary people from all walks of life and all situations are taking a look around and deciding to make changes to their lives to better prepare for what they have decided might be coming.
Think hard about what you can stack, actually and metaphorically, and then take action. It’s a bit of ‘preaching to the choir’ I know… but I’m specifically preaching to the others not already in the choir today. No matter what happens, even (especially) the normal trials and tribulations of life, stacks and preps will make it better. There are plenty of stories shared here of the minor, and even potentially major, problems overcome more easily and with more style due to having prepared for problems. Come and join us on the journey.
Stack.
nick
Reading today’s post and … and, I can’t even! Just in the first two paragraphs:
Illuminated → Illuminati
ellipse → ellipsis
Someone pass me my smelling salts!
Not a Darwin Award, as she’d reproduced. (Unless the daughter was a stepdaughter.)
He thinks that he is. Most likely that “prep” has never been put to the test.
This seems like a possible niche business idea, to set up different tests of someone’s ability and willingness to defend his home and his stuff in different scenarios: Carful of “other ethnics” driving up from the city thinking to smash and grab. Would-be warlord with a couple shooters and a bunch more following, figuring to either loot the place to the foundation or to move in. The acquaintance from the village with her crying children in tow. The lone guy with a scoped rifle.
“Republicans” in this state failed the test in November, supporting tax increases buried in the “reform” which gave away the $17 billion surplus to the schools and local governments to p*ss away on nonsense.
Did I mention the Geico Gecko’s generator slush fund?
It is their livelihood.
Income tax will be on the ballot in 2027. They’ll fail that test too.
She’s baaaack.
Anytime you see Teresa Ghilarducci’s name in print, even if it is a CIA state media outlet, you should be concerned.
Ghilarducci is the academic the Dems quote when they hold hearings on Capitol Hill about seizing the private pensions and 401(k) plans in a “fair” retirement reform.
(Another word you have to watch, just ask Texas home owners when the 2026 trim notices hit.)
Not that taking that pool of money means much in an era with $30 trillion public debt. Effectively, the plans have already been seized, but the “optics” work in the left’s favor.
https://www.businessinsider.com/retirement-social-security-gen-z-millennials-uncertainty-fears-pensions-2024-4?op=1
Jesse Jackson has been campaigning to confiscate our 401ks for 50 years.
Some of the pics I found online look like the doors open to the front.
– ahhh, now I get the argument. The door acts like an umbrella when opened under way, and yanks her out of the cabin… I guess it could happen, but I don’t think you can argue it’s a design flaw. You are not supposed to be in the trailer while under way, and you certainly aren’t supposed to open doors while on the highway (or even scenic back roads) while driving…
——-
@steve, you missed some…
n
When we stopped for gas at a Pilot/Flying-J in Louisiana on Sunday, I noted a new-ish Clayton show … room? … on one corner of the property. The Gecko understands corporate “synergy”.
The service station has a lot of property. I wonder if all of them are like that.
Plenty of room for a gas turbine generator and EV charging outlets, but it was Louisiana, not Texas. Voters there haven’t approved a slush fund in that state. Yet.
Maybe it will be part of the deal for the current Speaker to keep his job with Dem support.
One upside of Pilot – no hookers like at the nearby Love’s, where we stopped for gas on the way into New Orleans.
Even 15 years ago, the pool of money might have been meaningful towards paying down the debt, but not anymore. The rate of increase has gone parabolic.
Apparently, Texas is going to use some AI assistence to help grade the STAAR tests. As described, the application makes sense, and I can’t really see any problems with it. I hadn’t heard of the STAAR tests before, so I had a look at the grade 12 questions. I was actually pleasantly surprised at the difficulty. While I would expect any high school senior to get nearly all of them correct, some of them were actually difficult. The math questions were the only ones that struck me as too easy for a high school senior.
In modern times, being overly aware of DEI, I cannot help but notice that almost all of the children pictured on the STAAR website are black. Just as an example, on the “students and families” page, we have a black mother, two black girls, one black boy, one boy who might be Hispanic or maybe subcontinent. The only white child is a girl who clearly has Down Syndrome.
We took the big lighthouse tours in Oregon when we lived out that way, and one site’s restoration effort involved removing a large amount of poorly-considered white paint from the interior spaces of the brick buildings, including the tower, after decommissioning from the Coast Guard.
The material used to “sandblast” the paint was pecan shellls. The project took a very long time to complete, however, since the work proceeded slowly.
On cars, doors that open that way are called suicide doors. It only takes an IQ above room temperature to figure out why.
The latest reform (there’s that word again) proposals floating around Austin eliminate the STAAR test mandate as part of a deal for the Governor to get voucher support from Dems in the Texas Legislature. I haven’t kept up with regard to where that went.
The effectiveness of the testing is a mixed bag. In the ISD where I live, the Subcontinent parents obsess with schools’ scores, and Round Rock High School is beyond overcrowded even though their newer colonies are up on the west edge of Georgetown, in a much less desirable ISD/high school district.
Building new schools becomes pointless. The new middle school built in the development catering to Subcontinent tastes sits half empty while my kids’ school, among the best scores in the state, was at capacity.
I know the parents have the entrance exams to the gifted programs to give the children an edge. One mother, a “Masters” degree holder, even bragged about it to my wife. I guess the STAAR exams are more tightly controlled.
My wife considers the STAAR to mainly be a reading comprehension test, no matter the subject. I haven’t looked closely at it.
Given the “$35M” budget “shortfall” between what our ISD wanted and what they got, they are pausing bond work to modernize and replace elementary schools, and rezoning to eliminate a couple of them. That means the existing schools are under utilized and have space available. Given also the general shady and inept district management, I’m betting that they haven’t considered the MASSIVE influx of people both legal and illegal, the additional costs to bus kids to their new schools, and haven’t even looked at building permits for all the multifamily housing that’s going in.
Or maybe they’re smarter than me. I wouldn’t have thought elementary school age kids were a DECREASING quantity. But. The illegals don’t have 5 kids until they’ve been here for several years. The people moving here might not have kids, Americans are waiting longer to start families. So maybe it’s just a matter of timing. I’d bet we’ll have kids in temporary classrooms in a couple of years though.
n
Speaking of words, I used the word “mensch” and misspelled it, when I really meant “nebbish”. Dunno about the Curb Your Enthusiasm character, but Woody Allen is certainly famous for playing the nebbish stereotype.
n
I graduated High School in 1973. We didn’t need any stinkin‘ tests. I got a quality education. The commies took over education in the FUSA without firing a shot. Look at the results. Throw in the WuFlu CovidCooties lockdowns and we have the dumbest kids in a generation.
Joe Biden would struggle.
No one is supposed to be riding in a towed trailer, in any state, for any reason. Darwin Award #1.
Only an idiot opens a door on a moving vehicle. Darwin Award #2.
Only a fool would attempt to hang on to a door that is open at highway speeds. Darwin Award #3.
Of course Airstream will be sued. As will the company that sold the trailer, as will the company that made the hitch, as will the company that made the tires, as will any company that had any involvement, regardless of how small, in dealing with the trailer. Airstream and the others will settle for a few thousand dollars as that is cheaper than litigation.
Airstream will now have to put warning labels on their trailers. Perhaps put some system in where if the wheels are turning the doors will not open. Of course there are the windows for really stupid (and they do exist).
In my opinion, when someone is doing something against the law, and being really stupid while doing so, has no relief in the court system. I would advocate that that the victim’s estate be charged for cleaning the body parts and biohazard liquids from the road.
We got some real rain after I went to bed, and it came down pretty hard. According to the Flood Control District monitors we got around 2″, but areas northwest of us got between 3 and 4″.
It was 64F when I got up, and it looks like the cloudy overcast is breaking up.
n
Agreed. As a substitute for the last 7 years I have really seen the lack of quality in the education system. There are bright spots as some kids do excel on their own initiative. The average student can barely read, certainly cannot type without using shortcut letters. Basic math is a complete mystery. But they can certainly use a cell phone.
I have a real issue with the current trend of everyone needing to go to college. For many it is a waste of time, and a waste of money. Such money waste being forced on the taxpayers because little Sally cannot get a job with her degree in ancient Egyptian hairstyles.
Man of these kids are better off in a trade union or spending 4 years in the military. At least they would have a skill, little to no debt, and certainly able to get a decent paying job.
I also don’t like the state’s position that the person loses their license if under the age of 18 and not in school. Based on the behavior of some these students I would advocate that once the age of 16 is reached, and the kid does not want to be in school, let them leave. The caveat is that they cannot get any welfare or public assistance for 20 years or a GED is obtained.
And some of these kids make me understand why some animals eat their young.
North Austin/Round Rock got hail again last night. I’m not done with repairs from October, with windows and gutters still not replaced.
I got selected for jury duty on the federal district court. A questionnaire needs to be filled out online and then you wait until a jury is needed. I have to be in the jury pool for 6 months. There is some question as to whether I really need to serve. Supposedly people over 70 are not required to serve. The court already has that information based on the questionnaire so why did I get the summons?
The letter was also delivered by regular mail. No tracking, signature, or other confirmation of delivery. How does the court even know I got the summons?
If I actually have to go for a jury selection and questioning I plan on telling the court I know SteveF. That will probably get me banned.
My nephew is a TX state trooper. I don’t know if that puts me too close to law enforcement to be selected for a jury. I do know that I will be honest and inform the court that I have zero trust in the integrity of police departments, local, state, or federal. They will do anything to protect themselves while harming others, if one of their own is in legal trouble. I do not put it beyond law enforcement officials planting evidence in vehicles when a person ticks them off.
The pay is $50 a day, paid parking, and some faint hand waving about paying for travel with no specifics. Of course, that pay is taxable.
Based on my experience in court for the cretin that was on drugs that caused my accident, it will be less than interesting. When I was on that juvenile murder trial in San Antonio I really think the stupidest people in the courtroom were the lawyers. It was a city court. That was two days of my life wasted.
@Nick
54-yr-old guy whose medical history includes a heart attack and quad bypass. Snorkeling to find a lost cell phone, suddenly surrounded by a large group of drunken teens/young people physically attacking him, knocking him down and calling him a pedophile and a rapist. Yeah, why would he not fear for his life?
@Lynn
Varies in the U.S. by latitude. black/white ration increases as you go north.
Tell them that you are a firm supporter of jury nullification of unConstitutional or unjust laws and that you plan on informing other jurors of their rights. They’ll have you out of there so fast it’ll leave a vacuum.
“The material used to “sandblast” the paint was pecan shellls. The project took a very long time to complete, however, since the work proceeded slowly.”
I’ve heard the current media of choice is dry ice.
The only time I got to voir dire you don’t actually get to tell them anything. They ask the questions, the group raises their hands, maybe a followup to determine if you are lying, then the lawyers decide amongst themselves who to dismiss.
Maybe the next step asks more questions?
n
“On cars, doors that open that way are called suicide doors. It only takes an IQ above room temperature to figure out why.”
There are several reasons, but the risks are more theoretical than practical.
I’ve heard the current media of choice is dry ice.
– depends on what you are blasting, and what you are removing. Dry ice blasting isn’t the best choice for everything. Classic car guys have used walnut shells for a long time. They abrade the paint and rust, but not the sound metal, and they’re cheap.
n
Suicide doors.
I worked in corporate training on a product launch for a vehicle which incorporated “rearward hinged doors” for the first time since the 60s… they called them “wide opening doors” and you were absolutely NOT allowed to call them suicide doors.
Everyone did anyway as most of the people involved were “car guys” and had fond memories of big cars with ‘suicide doors’.
n
@Ray Thompson
I have a real issue with the current trend of everyone needing to go to college. For
manymost it is a waste of time, and a waste of money. Such money waste being forced on the taxpayers because little Sally cannot get a job with her degree in ancient Egyptian hairstyles.FIFY
I was in a dealership last weekend that handles “small” equipment, with the upper end pushing if not exceeding 100hp. Facility was their second location built ten years ago with lots of room. Yup, it’s not big enough. Owners would put up another building across the street, but they have enough difficulty finding help as it is. I’d estimate their inventory in ZT mowers (at least four brands) easily over a million.
There is a huge shortfall of gas/diesel/hydraulic and control systems techs. There is no shortage of social/political and other pseudo-science “degrees”. The former have little debt, pay it off in a few years, and make more money. The latter have huge debts, pay it off (maybe) over decades, and don’t produce anything mostly in jobs funded by tax dollars.
Not if I fart while leaving.
@Nick
I had one of the last U.S. production cars with “suicide” doors–a fifth gen T-Bird.
Just odds and sods since then.
I stand corrected.
The feds say inflation was 3.5% over a year ago. I say someone slipped a decimal point. 35% is probably more accurate.
@Nick
Dry ice for paint on brick. Lot’s of other uses, too, as it has the unique attribute of leaving no residue from the media.
12/50 quartz sand will always be the default because cheap, but about anything that can be had in a free-flowing granular form has been tried and found a niche.
In England they have a problem with centuries of coal soot on old stone & brick buildings.
I believe they use just a continuous water stream (almost misting) for weeks (months?) to clean them.
My sister was visiting Bath and sent me some pictures of the before and after state of some wonderful honey colored sandstone buildings as the cleaners worked their way down the street, amazing.
Social Security is definitely going broke. If I wait until my 67th birthday in three years, they are going to give me $3,731 per month.
I wonder if SS is going to put a contract out on me then.
My wife will be 67 next year. She will start taking SS then.
The outside temperature just dropped from 75 F to 68 and the wind is blowing. The rest of the cold front is coming in now.
Pays better…
https://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2024/04/10
He had intended to go full off grid solar, but ended up with a diesel generator solution because in his words, “he doesn’t care about the noise because he’s way the F out in the middle of no where.”
Sounds like all he has to worry about is the MZBs, the mutant zombie bikers going after the lone households when the Rule Of Law goes away. 20 guys on Harleys show up and torch your place after shooting it up. With you in it.
Planet Fitness Has Been ‘Pretty Much Destroyed,’ Says Company Founder Amid Speculation On Boycott Cancellations
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/planet-fitness-pretty-much-destroyed-150010141.html
Ace labelled this a Bud Light Effect, but it’s equally a Stinky Fish Head Effect.
I see this opinion a lot and I agree completely.
Unfortunately, the other thing I see a lot is a “not MY kid” attitude. That is, they agree college is a waste of money for most kids and those kids would be better off pursuing a trade. However, their kid? Well, their kid is going to college (whether the kid wants to or not, dammit!). It seems the trades are a much better alternative for OTHER PEOPLE’s kids, but, apparently, never for their own.
That tells me there’s still a lot of very ingrained attitudes in parents that if you don’t go to college you’re some level of a failure. So, the trade school thing is mostly a lot of talk.
“Biden expected to talk Texas high-speed rail with Japanese prime minister”
https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/texas-light-rail-biden-japan-19395610.php
“The beleaguered project connecting Houston and Dallas may get the Biden bump during talks with Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida.”
As usual for these kind of projects, the real cost is 10X that of the cost projections. And people know it. And that is before the Bidenflation.
“Sounds like all he has to worry about is the MZBs, the mutant zombie bikers going after the lone households when the Rule Of Law goes away. 20 guys on Harleys show up and torch your place after shooting it up. With you in it.”
When they make those MZB movies, are there any scenes where the MZB’s put gas in their bikes, change a fuel filter, or tear down a carb? Or do they sit on the bike, push with both feet, and make “Vroom! VROOM!!!” noises as the flat tires help it glide another foot?
“PROJECT ‘CASPER’: Inside secret nuke bunker built under lux hotel to house ENTIRE US Congress with 1,000 beds, cafe & its own crematorium”
https://www.the-sun.com/news/11050895/secret-nuke-bunker-under-resort-congress/
“The blast door that divided the resort and the bunker was hidden in plain sight”
I think that the secret is out.
Hat tip to:
https://www.drudgereport.com/
You would have done much better putting the money into a private fund can over the last 40 years, but there are taxes and minimum withdrawals to consider. It is probably a wash for most people.
If needed, Congress can cut the benefits or suspend payouts completely with a simple majority unless a veto happens
https://www.the-sun.com/news/11048693/moment-mob-attacks-man-punches-women-new-york-city/
“Don’t stage a fake crime in Texas”
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/04/dont-stage-fake-crime-in-texas.html
“Rasshauud Scott, 22, was seen on surveillance footage late Jan. 27 running up to a couple filling up their car at a Chevron gas station in Houston, Texas, according to court documents shared by Fox News Digital.”
“After seemingly robbing the pair of a purse and wallet, he turned and ran — before an alarmed witness pulled out a gun and shot him in the head, killing him, the affidavit notes.”
“However, a series of messages later showed that Scott wasn’t even really robbing the couple — with his widow, Sade Beverly, telling cops it “was a set up” as part of an ongoing crime ring, the docs said.”
You have got to be kidding me. People are crazy.
I think that the secret is out.
– been out for decades.
——————
Carrying the gun doesn’t make you a cop, if no one’s lives or persons were at risk, he should have kept it holstered. He’s probably ok, because TX lets you shoot people who are likely to escape justice after committing a felony, but still…
——————–
I don’t want my girls to sit around after high school, and I’d like them to find a college career path that was worth the effort, but when D1 suggests that she might just find a trade, I’m supportive. We’ve talked about the pay differential and debt.
n
She’s baaaack.
Anytime you see Teresa Ghilarducci’s name in print, even if it is a CIA state media outlet, you should be concerned.
Ghilarducci is the academic the Dems quote when they hold hearings on Capitol Hill about seizing the private pensions and 401(k) plans in a “fair” retirement reform.
(Another word you have to watch, just ask Texas home owners when the 2026 trim notices hit.)
Not that taking that pool of money means much in an era with $30 trillion public debt. Effectively, the plans have already been seized, but the “optics” work in the left’s favor.
https://www.businessinsider.com/retirement-social-security-gen-z-millennials-uncertainty-fears-pensions-2024-4?op=1
Yeah, I am concerned about this. If I get the hint that they are getting close to seizing IRAs and 401Ks, I will extract every penny out of mine and the wifes. We have worked hard over the years just to have Elizabeth Warren take it all.
That said, I see this happening in 2029. Or sooner. Just read “The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047” by Lionel Shriver:
https://www.amazon.com/Mandibles-Family-2029-2047-Lionel-Shriver/dp/006232828X?tag=ttgnet-20/
Here is my review of the book:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R5B6LFW2H1W91/
The wife has a mandatory extract all in ten years IRA that she inherited from her father. She takes a five figure distribution out of it every year that she withholds 30% for income taxes.
“Toyota debuts all-new 4Runner SUV with hybrid powertrain”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/toyota-debuts-all-new-4runner-suv-with-hybrid-powertrain-174750930.html
“Toyota is giving the 4Runner its first makeover in 15 years.”
I am surprised that they are giving the 4Runner a makeover. I see lots of older ones all over the place.
What? Practical considerations?? I’ll bet you’re one of those guys who asks “But what do they eat?” about the six-ton dragon in the fifteenth level of the dungeon or the unsupplied infantry company sitting in the middle of the desert and waiting to ambush your scout platoon when it comes through.
(For the record, I’m one of those guys, too.)
@Nick
Start looking and planning early.
The first step is to maximize the time in high school with college prep courses. Math is the obvious one, but if she can take AP classes and get actual advanced placement that includes credits, it’s a win in a lot of ways.
Some states make it possible for a HS senior to take college classes before graduation without paying tuition.
Treat summer jobs as learning opportunities starting after the junior year in HS. Wages are not necessarily the most important factor. Look for something that gives exposure to a trade, or gives you the opportunity to put something besides fast food, waitressing, or lifeguarding on the resume.
When you think about a trade, consider the working conditions. Being outside in the winter in low temps and working long hours is not fun. Welding pays well, but seldom have I talked to a welder that is always happy with his air supply.
Take a look at any local union training and apprenticeship programs.
I had summer jobs in areas where the all-male workforce was only recently past. There’s still a lot of misogyny in the workplace, and it’s worse in jobs that rely on a good chunk of physical strength. Pay attention to the workforce and the age of any women in it. If anything looks interesting see if there is a women’s group that shares opportunities.
When they make those MZB movies, are there any scenes where the MZB’s put gas in their bikes, change a fuel filter, or tear down a carb? Or do they sit on the bike, push with both feet, and make “Vroom! VROOM!!!” noises as the flat tires help it glide another foot?
You can read the book and tell me. I don’t remember any maintenance guys in the MZBs but, I’ve slept since then. “Lights Out” by David Crawford. Highly recommended. Set in Texas !
https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-David-Crawford/dp/0615427359?tag=ttgnet-20/
Yeah, that is a $20 trade paperback. After reading, you can use it as a door stop as it is 2.1 lbs of dead tree.
“Germany’s Lufthansa suspends flights to and from Tehran amid Middle East Crisis”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/germanys-lufthansa-suspends-flights-tehran-191805744.html
Yeah, they don’t want their expensive airplanes to glow in the dark.
@SteveF
Ringo’s Black Tide Rising is the only zombie tale that I’ve found credible enough to get the suspension of disbelief. Handwaving alone is not enough–there has to be some plausibility.
Was it Samuel Clemens who called Bram Stoker “that pornographer”?
“Traitor Joe Keeps Demanding “Ceasefire” in Gaza War — But Hamas Won’t Accept Deal”
https://thelibertydaily.com/traitor-joe-keeps-demanding-ceasefire-gaza-war-hamas/
“(DCNF)—The Biden administration is increasing demands for a halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza, but Hamas keeps rejecting ceasefire proposals.”
Why would Hamas accept any deal ? Their noncombatant cover would leave.
In some places where I have lived, the community colleges offer trade certificate paths for high schoolers. Those are great for kids that are thinking about “working for a living.” Some decide they would rather have an air-conditioned workplace and will try harder in college, while some see a plan forward owning their own trade company after doing that trade for a decent amount of time, etc… If nothing else, that certificate likely means that a kid can find decent-paying work while in college.
“Biden Shouts Incoherently When Interrupted by Heckler, Claims He’s Cut Deficit by $1T”
https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2024/04/09/biden-blurts-out-incomprehensible-retort-when-interrupter-by-heckler-claims-he-cut-deficit-by-1t-n2172540
The wild thing is that some idiots on the left side actually believe that. Whereas, the truth is that the federal deficit is increasing by $1 trillion every 100 days right now. And that is getting ready to be cranked up on Jan 1, 2025 as more of the Inflation Reduction Act comes into practice.
BTW, Trump’s tax cuts expire on Dec 31, 2025. Get ready to pay a lot more income tax.
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2024/04/10/joe-bidens-legacy-ending-the-vietnam-war-n3786250
FJB, or as he plays the part “Min Bandwidth”.
A reasonable avatar would probably run on a 2KB Timex-Sinclair using a cassette tape as mass storage.
We have one of each. As a parent, you need to understand your kids, not push them into something unsuited to their skills or personality.
Re: upload/download speeds from internet providers: new ‘nutrition label’ now required by FTC for broadband companies. See here .
Supposed to be effective today, but a quick look at the Astound site (was Wave Broadband) didn’t show the new labels yet.
CAFE
The 4Runner is popular for a reason, but the 4.0 L engine and 5 speed is thirsty.
That sucks. We were weighing getting one this sunmer, but no one is going to have them for anything less than MSRP.
Hopefully, the 4 Runner continues to be Hecho en Japan with the turbo and hybrid. Hecho en Mexico Tacomas are filled with problems.
The 4Runner is popular for a reason, but the 4.0 L engine and 5 speed is thirsty.
That sucks. We were weighing getting one this sunmer, but no one is going to have them for anything less than MSRP.
I have been kinda thinking about trading my 2019 F-150 4×4 for a 2024 F-150 4×4 hybrid. But, they are only making the F-150 Hybrids in the Platinum trim level and selling for the $85K MSRP. That is not going to happen.
Congress thinks they are important in case of a disaster. However, I would wager that congress is the cause of the disaster requiring that type of facility. Besides, would you want to share a bed, especially a bunk bed, with any of those losers? Imagine if you will, having the top bunk while AOC is in the bottom bunk.
Your wife should get 50% of your SS amount or her own amount whichever is larger.
Maybe. It is a gamble based on one’s life. If one lives past about 87, then the recipient wins over any option. Besides, most would not have the discipline to regularly put money into such a fund.
For congress do to that to people already receiving SS would be an expulsion from office of any congress critter who voted yes on such a measure. The wrath of the people drawing SS would be immense and as quick as possible. Congress can cut future benefits and/or extend the age when SS can be drawn. But messing with current recipients is never going to happen, peacefully.
By then it will be too late. The administration would have frozen all 401K withdrawals or any activity on the accounts, except contributing. I have one 401K left that I am drawing down. It takes 10 years because it is an annuity, I have 5 years left.
If congress were to pull such a stunt, the result would be same as cutting SS. Many retirees rely on their 401Ks for retirement income. Messing with that would result in much wrath against congress members and immediate expulsion by any means possible.
“It’s not just Boeing…”
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/04/its-not-just-boeing.html
“Problems with Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan engine, used by most recent-production Airbus A320-family airliners, have grounded almost a third of the fleet.”
Oh my. Gear shavings in the gear box was one of the things that we feared in our power plant 35,000 hp pumps. First came the vibration exceeding 3/1000nds of an inch. Then came the thrust and radial bearing failures. On the coast down, the steam turbine and pump would be shedding blades, and not in a good way. If it happened in July, it would be all hands on deck. Our coal units had complete spare parts sets already mounted and ready to be installed. We had an argument with the cost with the Texas PUC and I got to run the simulation and send them the report. The $3 million turbine / pump set was way way way cheaper than the six month lead time to get a replacement set.
They would wait until a serious market correction is underway and offer a swap – the stocks and mutual funds in the 401(k) and private pension plans for an amount in Treasuries equal to the value of the accounts prior to the correction.
I doubt it will happen now given the debt figures, but it could be sold.
Taxes are done. If I did it wrong, they’ll let me know with a nasty letter and excessive bill for making an error. The house turned out to be simple.
How much did you get for it?
How much did the realtor, etc charge?
What is the current property tax value?
When did you acquire it? When Mom died.
When did you sell it? Last March.
Huh. I had a 20 grand loss by their math. About what I had figured in my head.
Anyway. Done.
This year the taxed part of the SS income is up a lot. That $29 a month extra on my SS after the COLA increase and Medicare went up? They got it ALL back and a bit extra.
I expect taxable interest will go up, hopefully a healthy amount as I play with t-bills with about 5% interest versus the bank paying 1%. Last year the bank was paying .01% interest and then went to 1%. just when I dropped the money from the house into savings. Big difference between $20 in interest and $540.
I have 30 grand in t-bills and can do another 40. I wanted to get the taxes done first. I want to keep about 20 grand in the bank in case the water well pump dies.
Eye balling it, I think I need to draw less per month from my 401k to keep below the standard deduction of 30,700.
Hard to say without knowing what next year’s standard deduction will be. But I think taking $800 instead of $1000 a month will make it work.
It’s almost balanced. It’s not tax evasion. It’s tax avoidance.
Because congress has been threatening “IRAs” for several years I pulled my money out and closed all of them to built a big comfortable shop. I have less than 5 figures in savings today.
My monthly SS and USAF retirement checks give me 140% of my monthly expenses.
I’m 78.75 years old, only responsible for me, don’t want to live without the normal amenities of today (electricity, water and sewer, cell phone and internet). I have done some minimal prepping, keeping several months of normal consumables on hand.
If the world goes crazy and my supplies or comfort level goes away, I intend to arm up and go out and take out as many azzholes as I can. It’s been a good life.
On the other hand, my son who in his late 50s has IRAs he is struggling with (they are worth a lot less than three years ago) and a wife who does not support savings or prepping. His monthly USAF retirement check is bigger than mine, but expenses are greater than mine.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/2960519/ex-biden-chief-staff-caught-tape-slamming-presidents-attention-bridges/
Former White House Chief of Staff and Intellectual Giant of the Democrat Party Ron Klain
@Bob Sprowl
You have the equipment. Put in some landscaping to improve your field of fire and let them come to you.
Claymores should be legal.
She votes for the Spending and Starving Party?
Sympathy For the Devil
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/04/sympathy-for-the-devil.php
The Twitter comment was spot-on.
The “no longer stands for any worthwhile principles” is far short of reality.
Amnesty International has been an actively evil organization for years.
“Suicide Mission”
https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2024-03-28-suicide-mission-boeing/
“What Boeing did to all the guys who remember how to build a plane”
“John Barnett had one of those bosses who seemed to spend most of his waking hours scheming to inflict humiliation upon him. He mocked him in weekly meetings whenever he dared contribute a thought, assigned a fellow manager to spy on him and spread rumors that he did not play nicely with others, and disciplined him for things like “using email to communicate” and pushing for flaws he found on planes to be fixed.”
““John is very knowledgeable almost to a fault, as it gets in the way at times when issues arise,” the boss wrote in one of his withering performance reviews, downgrading Barnett’s rating from a 40 all the way to a 15 in an assessment that cast the 26-year quality manager, who was known as “Swampy” for his easy Louisiana drawl, as an anal-retentive prick whose pedantry was antagonizing his colleagues. The truth, by contrast, was self-evident to anyone who spent five minutes in his presence: John Barnett, who raced cars in his spare time and seemed “high on life” according to one former colleague, was a “great, fun boss that loved Boeing and was willing to share his knowledge with everyone,” as one of his former quality technicians would later recall.”
“By now you know what became of Swampy: He was found dead a few weeks ago with a gunshot wound to his right temple, “apparently” self-inflicted, on what was meant to be the third day of a three-day deposition in his whistleblower case against his former employer; his amended complaint, which his lawyer released last week, is the basis for much of this story.”
Unreal.
Male and pale is stale.
And Boeing: Blackrock, Vanguard, and State Street. Your retirement money at work.
In-n-Out headed to Vantucky. It makes sense – lots of Californians live there.
The shakedown by the state, county, and city governments was probably intense.
Still, weed munchies triumph once again.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/in-n-out-coming-to-ridgefield/ar-BB1llSfs
Next stop: Seattle.
Maybe Centralia first.
“Bidenomics after 38 Months: Six Charts the Media Don’t Want You to See”
https://mrctv.org/blog/craig-bannister/bidenomics-after-38-months-six-charts-media-dont-want-you-see
Gonna be far worse after Biden gets re-elected.
And Boeing: Blackrock, Vanguard, and State Street. Your retirement money at work.
The question is, can Boeing be saved ? I am not sure that the commercial side (737 to 787) can be saved.
Jacki Kotkiewicz @jackikotkiewicz
SINCE BIDEN TOOK OFFICE:
Gasoline: 47.8%
Groceries: +21.1%
Eating out: +21.4%
Baby food: +30.5%
Pet food: +23.7%
Rent: +20.9%
Electricity: +28.3%
Natural gas: +26.9%
Used cars: +20.9%
Air fare: +32.7%
Public transportation: +22.2%
Real average weekly earnings: -3.9%
7:46 AM · Apr 10, 2024
1.4M Views
https://hotair.com/tree-hugging-sister/2024/04/10/bidenomics-update-yowsahs-thats-gonna-leave-a-mark-n3786292
And the Dems story is how good a job he’s done with the economy.
One of my uncles used to say “Don’t piss in my face and tell me it’s rain.”
>> Some of the pics I found online look like the doors open to the front.
– ahhh, now I get the argument. The door acts like an umbrella when opened under way, and yanks her out of the cabin… I guess it could happen, but I don’t think you can argue it’s a design flaw. You are not supposed to be in the trailer while under way, and you certainly aren’t supposed to open doors while on the highway (or even scenic back roads) while driving…
If you look at the pics closely you’ll see models with outside hinges either on the right and the left. Sorry as it is but seems to come down to lack of knowledge of the proper use of the product.
https://www.airstream.com/travel-trailers/classic/gallery/
“
GubsRVs don’t kill people, people kill people.” “Release thehoundslawyers.”>> 40% of cars and trucks are white.
Varies in the U.S. by latitude. black/white ration increases as you go north.
Probably more than you want to know: https://www.8newsnow.com/news/the-most-popular-car-colors-in-each-state/
Saw it Coming: Civil Rights Groups Demand Baltimore Bridge be Re-Named
https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2024/04/10/saw-it-coming-civil-rights-groups-demand-baltimore-bridge-be-re-named-n3786253
These are the same grievance brokers who want felons who dealt drugs to children get their voting rights back.
House needs to pass the appropriations bill–it should explicitly require that the new bridge be named the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
If FBMD doesn’t like it, they can fund it themselves.
>> The letter was also delivered by regular mail. No tracking, signature, or other confirmation of delivery. How does the court even know I got the summons?
The judge, with the power to issue an arrest warrant, says you got it…understand? Ja??
>> Tell them that you are a firm supporter of jury nullification of unConstitutional or unjust laws and that you plan on informing other jurors of their rights. They’ll have you out of there so fast it’ll leave a vacuum.
Well… do try to say it like you mean it. There’s been the occasional judge that will threaten someone with contempt if they think it’s just an excuse to avoid jury duty.
Dual citizenship: “We can have no ’50-50′ allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.”
Theodore Roosevelt:
>> I’d estimate their inventory in ZT mowers (at least four brands) easily over a million.
A million mowers? Wow, that’s a lot of inventory.
@Alan
78.6% in white, black, gray, silver–non-colors
Another 18.1% in blue and red, totaling 96.7, then everything else is less than 1%.
The telling thing for me is the hot new color of the 90’s, teal, is totally absent.
@Ken Mitchell
In James Micheners 1971 book The Drifters, one of the characters had dual US/Israeli citizenship, but had to make a choice when he was 21. That no longer seems to be the case, and it’s not clear to me what/when the law changed.
1990:
https://best-citizenships.com/2021/01/28/dual-citizenship-history/
Cruz Has a Warning for Senate Democrats Looking to Table Articles of Impeachment Against Mayorkas
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2024/04/10/republicans-have-delayed-delivering-impeachment-articles-will-anything-change-n2637592
Schumer wants to table the Mayorkas articles of impeachment and refuse to do the constitutional duty of the Senate to hold a trial. Biden’s approval on immigration is 32%.
The Case to Impeach and Imprison Joe Biden
https://townhall.com/columnists/rachelalexander/2024/04/08/joe-bidens-former-stenographer-publishes-book-on-why-he-should-be-in-prison-n2637527
By his former stenographer, who saw the Burisma deal come together first hand.
Surprised that Hillary’s guy hasn’t already paid this fella a visit.
“I can’t believe the leopards ate my face,” says man who hosted back yard Face-Eating Leopard mixer
–David Burge, @Iowahawkblog
https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2024/04/10/activists-disrupt-dinner-in-berkeley-deans-backyard-n3786291
https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2024/04/10/former-assistant-principal-faces-charges-over-teacher-shot-by-6-year-old-n3786299
Should have removed the child’s head, too.
Louisiana House Passes Bill Allowing You to Drive Into and Kill Protesters
https://twitchy.com/brettt/2024/04/10/louisiana-house-passes-bill-allowing-you-to-drive-into-and-kill-protesters-n2394947
and another form of bug deflector will evolve to fill the niche
How about a variation on the deer whistle that plays excerpts from “Alice’s Restaurant” when you’re at harvesting speed?
And will snow plow blades become a fashionable auto accessory in the South?
>> “The material used to “sandblast” the paint was pecan shellls. The project took a very long time to complete, however, since the work proceeded slowly.”
I’ve heard the current media of choice is dry ice.
I tend to prefer the 3-0-8 Win media.