53F and drizzly this morning in Houston. It’s good to be home.
A heartfelt “Thank you” to all the veterans and their families for the sacrifices they’ve made in defense of our Ideals, and in service to the Country and Citizens of the United States of America.
You guys are the best.
n
28º and sunny today. Gonna be chilly, but not unbearable.
I’m working on an essay about civility in the public sphere and its effect on public violence. It’s a struggle, because I’m not a natural writer. But I’ll get it done. It’s likely to be unpopular.
Vietnam vet here. Got booed, yelled at, had things thrown at me and spit on in a couple of airports. Mandatory travel in uniform to get discounted airfares. The abuse heaped upon military who where just doing their job as ordered by others was intense at times. The real issue was the clueless and incompetent leadership from the president (Johnson) down to the grunts.
I was a Greyhound bus from Las Vegas to Victorville in 1970. Couple of guys started harassing me until I had enough. I got up in their faces and told them that I was trained to kill eight different ways using nothing but my hands. Three of those ways are extremely painful so keep it up a$$holes if you want to experience one of the three. They shut up.
My two brothers also served, one in the USAF like me, the other in the Army. We all made it through with no major issues. Many did not having given their lives due to incompetent leadership. May you rest in he!! Lyndon Johnson.
Michelle Obama in an interview “I will always wonder about what led so many, women in particular, to reject an exceptionally qualified female candidate and instead choose a misogynist as their president,”. Really Michelle? Did you forget the fact that Hillary is a crook, a liar, a thief, a vindictive cretin of a sub human species.
Mssr Obamma has always lived in xer own reality that rarely connects with the one most people share…
Note that she has no problem with gender based discrimination, or misandry…
n
42f cold and heavy rain here in the city famous for the Blues and BBQ.
It’s the particular kind of rain that makes driving dangerous. Floods low lying streets, washes out contrast in the early light, and the temp keeps windscreens fogged. I wish my wife didn’t have to go out for her Cardiac remediation classes. But it’s free and it seems to help her.
Give a holler if you want an edit or if you need some help in getting it organized and written it in the first place. I’ve got plenty of experience there, such as in helping people get their thoughts in order and nagging them to sit their butts down and finish the blasted thing.
Which reminds me, there’s a novelist who’s about due for another nag. His sister died a while back and he was unable to write for a while (lack of time while she was in the hospital and depression afterward) but he wanted me to poke at him from time to time.
To the best of my knowledge, Trump has never insulted a rape victim. Trump has never facilitated rapes. Yet he was the misogynist in 2016?
But he did say that if you are rich and famous women let you do whatever you want to them….
n
Michelle Obama in an interview “I will always wonder about what led so many, women in particular, to reject an exceptionally qualified female candidate and instead choose a misogynist as their president,”. Really Michelle? Did you forget the fact that Hillary is a crook, a liar, a thief, a vindictive cretin of a sub human species.
Hillary is arguably more of a misogynist than Trump. How many women were silenced … or worse … to protect B.J. starting when she arrived in Little Rock in the late 70s?
Remember, the voters in Arkansas got tired of the antics and temporarily kicked Hillary and B.J. out of office for two years in 1980. Unfortunately, the voters lost their minds again in 1982, thanks in part to the efforts of … Dick Morris.
Utilities, blue chips, etc, good for widows and orphans….. until they’re not.
” California Utilities Implode, Lose A Third Of Their Value In 2 Days On Massive Fire Damages
With the two giant wildfires in northern and southern California projected to result in $25 billion in damages, the shares of California’s two largest utility owners have crashed the most in nearly two decades”
The out-of-control fires aren’t the problem.
The possibility of them having been started by illegal aliens isn’t the problem.
The deaths aren’t the problem.
The billions of dollars of losses aren’t the problem.
No, the problem is Trump saying that forests in California were mismanaged.
Michelle Obama in an interview “I will always wonder about what led so many, women in particular, to reject an exceptionally qualified female candidate and instead choose a misogynist as their president,”. Really Michelle? Did you forget the fact that Hillary is a crook, a liar, a thief, a vindictive cretin of a sub human species.
Hillary Will Run Again
(If the link won’t allow you to read the full article, search for “Hillary Will Run Again”.)
Is there anything short of driving a stake through her heart and burying her face down that will make her just go away? 🙁
I say we take off and nuke the outré wight from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
Memphis and gambling in homes apparently don’t mix, as there is another double murder…
” Two people shot dead and four others – including a 13-year-old – injured at Memphis house after a ‘feud broke out over gambling’
Marcus Conway, 18, and Marquese Taylor, 22, were identified by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office as the victims shot dead in a home in Raleigh, a neighbourhood in northern Memphis, Tennessee.”
Why Did FACEBOOK Fire Top Executive? Hint: It Had Something to Do With Trump…
It appears that big tech has gone the way of the universities–not that this news will surprise anyone here.
Added: Again, if the complete article is unreadable from the link, search for “Why Did Facebook Fire a Top Executive? Hint: It Had Something to Do With Trump”
Is there anything short of driving a stake through her heart and burying her face down that will make her just go away?
The body double is hale and hearty. He will be around for at least another 20 years.
It appears that big tech has gone the way of the universities–not that this news will surprise anyone here.
Big tech on the West Coast has horrible age discrimination problems. Most of the staffers are well under 30.
I’ve posted before that I stopped using the reference “Logan’s Run” because anyone who understands the reference is too old to work in a West Coast tech company.
” Two people shot dead and four others – including a 13-year-old – injured at Memphis house after a ‘feud broke out over gambling’
This is what we call a very quiet weekend in Memphis.
The rain and cold weather must be keeping the regular crowd of thugs indoors.
The out-of-control fires aren’t the problem.
The possibility of them having been started by illegal aliens isn’t the problem.
The deaths aren’t the problem.
The billions of dollars of losses aren’t the problem.
No, the problem is Trump saying that forests in California were mismanaged.
And, the wildfires are the fault of the climate deniers, “Jerry Brown: Climate-Change Deniers ‘Definitely Contributing’ to the ‘New Abnormal’ of Wildfires”
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/jerry-brown-climate-change-deniers-definitely-contributing-to-the-new-abnormal-of-wildfires/
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
Hillary Will Run Again
Yes best candidate for the dems. Maybe Crazy Eyes could be her running mate.
Crazy Eyes won’t be old enough.
On the other hand, she’s a Democrat. (More accurately, she’s a communist, running as a Democratic Socialist because it’s more expedient.) Failure to meet Constitutional requirements is demonstrably no barrier.
Crazy Eyes won’t be old enough.
On the other hand, she’s a Democrat. (More accurately, she’s a communist, running as a Democratic Socialist because it’s more expedient.) Failure to meet Constitutional requirements is demonstrably no barrier.
Shoot, she can just sue the government to get her birthdate changed, “Dutch Man Sues to Legally Change His Age from 69 to 49 to Get Tinder Dates”
https://pjmedia.com/trending/dutch-man-sues-to-legally-change-his-age-from-69-to-49-to-get-tinder-dates/
“Winter (and we do mean winter) is coming to Houston”
https://spacecityweather.com/winter-and-we-do-mean-winter-is-coming-to-houston/
I blaim the climate deniers. According to the gospel of algore and mann, winter should never happen in south Texas ever again. Especially not this early.
Oh jeez, I’m gonna have to cover my citrus trees. Bugger me.
n
Stan Lee dead at 95
http://www.tmz.com/2018/11/12/stan-lee-dead-dies-marvel-comics/
Chance of “flurries” in Memphis tonight !! ??
That’s the earliest we have seen in the 10 years I’ve been here.
Damn global warming. Now I have to freeze-proof the house before I head off on the cruise.
Dilbert: “We don’t have a budget for making whiny employees happy”
http://dilbert.com/strip/2018-11-12
Awesome !
Drive-by shooting suspect remotely wipes iPhone X, catches extra charges
Wow. As Glenn Reynolds is wont to remind us, this is the 21st century.
Drive-by shooting suspect remotely wipes iPhone X, catches extra charges
Wow. As Glenn Reynolds is wont to remind us, this is the 21st century.
I’m not sure who Glenn Reynolds is but, everything is becoming a terminal. Makes it easier for the NSA to spy on us.
Walking thru the airport terminal I was stunned by the number of screens and their ubiquity. You can’t turn your head without seeing a screen. You sit at a table or counter in the food stalls, and there is a screen one foot from your face.
The next big thing is going to be paying money to get away from screens. Shield rooms anyone?
n
Moochelle is also hawking her book. It seems the whole thing is about how tRump traumatized her and the kids while Obola was in office. She couldn’t stand to smile during tRump’s Inaug. I’m so sick of tRump haters. If they take over the country we’ll all be living large like San Fran, LA, Chicongo. I hope Obola and Mooch slip on a banana peel and break their necks. Is that raycissss!
Book deals are how the deep state pays off politicians. Huge payday for writing (usually ghost written besides) and percentage of every copy bought, paid for, and [usually] destroyed by the sponsoring deep stater….
n
Dilbert: “We don’t have a budget for making whiny employees happy”
My management thinks I’m whiny because I want the porta-potty cleaned twice a week. I guess they figure that since I’ve only had one E-Coli skin infection in three months there isn’t a big issue yet.
They did order new chairs for the test site, however.
My management thinks I’m whiny because I want the porta-potty cleaned twice a week. I guess they figure that since I’ve only had one E-Coli skin infection in three months there isn’t a big issue yet.
How many people are using that porta-potty each day ?
This sounds like bring your own toilet paper and antiseptic wipes.
ADD: you need a raise.
For pete’s sake, I’m trying to get my win10 box set up, I can’t find windows update, and something is blocking my freaking download of ninite.exe and I can’t figure out what.
Firewall is being managed by Mcaffee and the browser (edge) doesn’t seem to have any settings at all… fucking change, I hate it.
n
Is it time to panic yet ? It is only six weeks until Christmas !
And Thanksgiving is next week. Where has the time gone ?
How many people are using that porta-potty each day ?
This sounds like bring your own toilet paper and antiseptic wipes.
Figure about 6-8 people on a typical day.
How many people are using that porta-potty each day ?
This sounds like bring your own toilet paper and antiseptic wipes.
Figure about 6-8 people on a typical day.
That is a lot of poop.
And Thanksgiving is next week. Where has the time gone ?
Thanksgiving is on the earliest possible day of November this year. The Christmas shopping season will be a week longer than last year.
I was asked to work in CA during the upcoming weekend. It took me a while to realize that it was what is generally considered to be the worst travel weekend of the year. Flight arrangements were awful. Fortunately, something changed mangement’s mind and I was bumped from the trip in favor of a more senior person who is paid a higher salary to sit in a center seat of a 737 flying the weekend before Thanksgiving. Either sanity prevailed or management has something else planned for me.
Just my luck, I’m probably going to Upstate New York … in January.
I’m not sure who Glenn Reynolds is …
Glenn Reynolds is the proprietor of the news-aggregation site Instapundit where you’ll find this little news nugget.
Even NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC isn’t immune from the disease of progressivism.
Thanksgiving is on the earliest possible day of November this year. The Christmas shopping season will be a week longer than last year.
It is not long enough. I move that we delay Christmas for a year.
I was asked to work in CA during the upcoming weekend. It took me a while to realize that it was what is generally considered to be the worst travel weekend of the year. Flight arrangements were awful. Fortunately, something changed mangement’s mind and I was bumped from the trip in favor of a more senior person. Either sanity prevailed or management has something else planned for me.
Just my luck, I’m probably going to Upstate New York … in January.
Be sure to get a rental 4×4 with mud and snow tires on it. Just front wheel drive does not hack it on those hills. It has probably been snowing in the Appalachians where my father-in-law grew up for a month now (Chenango).
all… fucking change, I hate it.
Just like ordinary people.
Click on the start menu, click on the gear, then click on updates.
Well, U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Comben EM1SS (1973-1979) here, I guess I had better check in on this “observation” of Veterans Day. All those slackard gooberment employees need to be damn grateful that I served so that they could have a day off.
During my service it was always a pain being out in public, in or out of uniform, our haircuts gave us away. But there were also people that bought me a drink or lunch. I am particularly grateful to the USO who helped me immensely when I had to travel; they provided sanctuary during layovers in airports, not just a meal and a safe place to crash. To this day the USO is one of the few organizations that receive a check from me.
Remembering OFD.
Remembering OFD.
Ditto.
So I just nuked mcaffeeeeee and turned on windows defender. macafeee is just too opaque, has the worst possible settings interface, no “pro” mode, and wants to put its fingers into the OS. Windows is not something I want 3rd parties poking around in.
ninite is finally downloadable and is working on getting me my programs.
n
Right, and make sure to pack survival gear for when you’re stranded on the unpaved deer trails which are all that we have up here. -eyes rolling- Almost everyone here has ordinary, front-drive-only cars with all-weather tires. A good number of people have snow tires, or studded snow tires if they live in the mountains, and a large number of people drive vehicles with 4WD (and a much smaller number know how to use 4WD), but the majority just derp around with ordinary cars and ordinary tires on the perfectly ordinary roads, which get promptly plowed when it snows. Why, there are even rumors that most people here live through the winter even if they have to drive every day.
First snowfall in Fulton County (southern Adirondacks) was last Friday. There’s a good chance it’ll stick, but it could sublimate away before the next snowfall.
That’s the part about the holiday which really annoys me. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten Veteran’s Day off as a paid holiday, though I’ve had to take an unpaid day a bunch of times because the client site was closed, but the broad-bottomed government “work”ers get paid for a day off while insulting veterans, the military, and men in general every other day. Why, no, I don’t have a case of the ass about this; why do you ask?
Yah.
This morning’s e-mail from Weather Underground said “HI 48° F | LO 29° F” and “Winds N at 20 to 30 mph.”
They left out the part about the hi temp happening at 7AM. Bless their hearts.
But I did get the faucets wrapped, a hose drained, and the PortaCool drained. Along with getting the potted plants in. Just into the house, my back is saying “touch another, dare you”.
Tomorrow is suppose to be all of 44F and 27F for the low. This is more like December weather.
@paul : I always look at the 10-day forecast on Weather Underground (especially on laptop). Has the high-low graph, plus wind speed graph. Mostly reliable and accurate, especially short-term.
I look at the long-term (10-day) wind prediction graph to see if there are possible excessive winds, which might cause the Hood Canal bridge to close for several hours. But those happen maybe twice each winter. I just hunker down at home; FLASHLIGHTS and generator ready to go as needed.
Thinkin’ out loud…
US National GDP is in the ballpark of $20 trillion and a deficit of $21 trillion. Fed Budget is in the ballpark of $4 trillion and interest on the debt is in the neighborhood of $400 billion.
Those numbers are outlandish, so let’s consider in proxy the rather prosperous Jones family. $200,000 income but $210,000 on credit cards. The CC company likes the Jones, so they’re allowed to set their own interest rate, currently $4000 per year but trending upwards. Now the Jones live in the best place evah, but have mortgage payments of $160,000 a year. That leaves ’em $40,000 a year to get by on and cover the interest. Consequently, they keep borrowing ~$10,000 more every year. How long can the Jones keep up?
The Happy Heat-pump just kicked on the heat coils. You can tell by the smell. It’s now 36F outside at almost 7PM.
My nose is cold. Whine whine whine. 🙂 With any luck I’ll get the dogs to go out for a potty in about an hour.
I got 3 fruit trees covered in black plastic and each has a 60 watt bulb under the tent. That kept them alive even in the 2 weeks of freeze we had last year. The two in pots got moved into the corner of the patio next to the window and door. They’re leaky enough it should stay above freezing. I picked a peck of peppers, and will go back out and harvest all the basil- it just turns to black slime when it freezes. I won’t cover the peppers this year. Didn’t get any garden in either. The onions will be ok or they won’t.
Started planning for Tgiving, guests and menu. I’ve got a crapton of stuff to do before next week, and dang little time to do it.
n
Right, and make sure to pack survival gear for when you’re stranded on the unpaved deer trails which are all that we have up here.
The place where my wife’s grandparents lived was nothing short of amazing. My father-in-law drove a 1/2 ton dodge pickup with a straight six and three on the tree. He had an oversized over the cab camper top on it that weighed a ton (maybe literally as it had a 2×4 wood frame and a metal skin). He could not get the truck up the steep hill to his parents house in the summer without smoking the clutch. So he parked the truck at the bottom of the hill and made his family walk the last 1/4 mile for the 10+ years he drove that truck. It made the trip from Houston, Texas to Chenango, NY each one of those years in the summer (1981 was the last trip if I remember correctly since we got married in Jan 1982).
My wife posted on facecrack last year that we were finally getting cool right before thanksgiving. Her cousin who lives next to their grandparents old house replied that she had already gotten 46 inches of snow and was sick of it.
The Happy Heat-pump just kicked on the heat coils. You can tell by the smell. It’s now 36F outside at almost 7PM.
I’ve had the heat on since Saturday afternoon. Both the north and south units. The daughter keeps the south side of the house at 69 F, I keep the north side at 68 F and wear a hoodie. We are now at 47 F outside and the wind blowing 18 mph out of the north.
Those numbers are outlandish, so let’s consider in proxy the rather prosperous Jones family. $200,000 income but $210,000 on credit cards. The CC company likes the Jones, so they’re allowed to set their own interest rate, currently $4000 per year but trending upwards. Now the Jones live in the best place evah, but have mortgage payments of $160,000 a year. That leaves ’em $40,000 a year to get by on and cover the interest. Consequently, they keep borrowing ~$10,000 more every year. How long can the Jones keep up?
That is a freaking disaster. You forgot the two $800/month lease payments for their new BMWs.
I cannot imagine paying $12,000/month in mortgage payments. There is no way anyone is doing that. Please not.
Oh wait, you are making a comparison to the USA public debt. Oh don’t worry, the control range of the public debt is long past. Just wait until we get Medicare for All ™, that is a real debt boomer. I see two trillion dollar annual deficits in 2020 and beyond as the dumbcrats talk Trump into Medicare for All as his legacy.
I think that the USA economy can stand a debt load of 2X the USA economy. Basically, $40 trillion. Or, 2028. However, the financial apocalypse can and probably will occur before then.
I cannot imagine paying $12,000 in mortgage payments. There is no way anyone is doing that. Please not.
My wife’s relatives paid $1.2 million for a 2/1 in San Carlos which they subsequently dumped another ~$200k (guesstimate with the help of a few CA-based friends) into remodeling to make livable, adding the little finishing touches … like a shower.
I imagine their payment is close to $12k monthly. Property taxes alone are $16k annually. I know — low by Texas standards, but CA has 11% income tax on top of sales and property taxes.
I imagine their payment is close to $12k monthly. Property taxes alone are $16k annually. I know — low by Texas standards, but CA has 11% income tax on top of sales and property taxes.
California is doing the best job to run off their middle class. And they are moving here to Fort Bend County and voting the same tax and spend dumbcrats into office. The only repuglican they did not vote out of office in our county is the sheriff and his election is in 2020. I suspect that with Beto running again in 2020 against Cornyn that we will see another blue wave across Texas. BTW, they voted 57% for Beto in Fort Bend County.
BTW2, I will pay about $9,000 in property taxes on my house that is valued $433K. And no freaking income taxes.
“Lack of sunspots to bring record cold, warns NASA scientist”
https://www.iceagenow.info/lack-of-sunspots-to-bring-record-cold-warns-nasa-scientist/
Here we go again.
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
I suspect that with Beto running again in 2020 against Cornyn that we will see another blue wave across Texas. BTW, they voted 57% for Beto in Fort Bend County.
Robert Francis vs. Cornyn? I haven’t seen any of those stories. That’s much tougher than Cruz since people generally like Cornyn.
Newsom 2020 will get cranked up in January. Robert Francis may yet be Newsom’s running mate since the same money people financed his Texas Senate campaign.
I will pay about $1600.00 in property taxes on a home valued at $200K and no income taxes. However we have sales tax on everything except medical. Even groceries are taxed which is harder on the poor than it is on me. That tax rate is 9.75% of which 7.75% is the state and 2% is local (county and city) sales tax. That 2% is the maximum allowed by law of which the local taxing authorities take full advantage. Electricity is not taxed, natural gas is not taxed, water is not taxed, but sewer is fully taxed. Such sewer being a little over twice what my water costs.
I also pay my property taxes on alternating years. Thus I pay 2017 and 2018 property taxes in 2018, will not pay 2019 until 2020 along with the 2020 property taxes. This maximizes my deductions for federal on alternating years.
You forgot the two $800/month lease payments for their new BMWs.
Teslas. Plus the money required to rewire the garages in a lot of Valley houses.
I will pay about $1600.00 in property taxes on a home valued at $200K and no income taxes.
You can’t won property in the FUSA. Goobermint taxes the shit out of everything. Don’t pay and they confiscate your stuff.
One forgets that the US government (indeed, pretty much the whole US economy, but especially all levels of government) has massive liabilities for pensions. By some estimates, that’s many time the acknowledged debt. Sooner rather than later, starting at the local level, those pension obligations will reneged on.
Any organization that offers retirement as a benefit for its employees ought to be required to fully fund the retirement, and put the money in the hands of a neutral third party. Anything else is a ponzi scheme.
However we have sales tax on everything except medical. Even groceries are taxed which is harder on the poor than it is on me. That tax rate is 9.75% of which 7.75% is the state and 2% is local (county and city) sales tax. That 2% is the maximum allowed by law of which the local taxing authorities take full advantage. Electricity is not taxed, natural gas is not taxed, water is not taxed, but sewer is fully taxed. Such sewer being a little over twice what my water costs.
Yup, our sales tax rate for the state of Texas is 6.25%. If you live in a city as I now do, they can add another 1% or 2% to that. My city, Sugar Land, adds the max, 2%.
We don’t tax raw food in Texas. Or water, even in water bottles. But food, both served and takeaway, is taxed. And medical and dental are not taxed. Yet.
You can’t won property in the FUSA. Goobermint taxes the s*** out of everything. Don’t pay and they confiscate your stuff.
Heh, yes they all tax property that you win. Except for Texas, Oklahoma, Washington State, and Tennessee.
https://www.fool.com/taxes/2018/06/05/by-2021-these-8-states-will-have-no-income-tax.aspx
Oh wait, you meant “own”, not “won”. “snicker”
Any organization that offers retirement as a benefit for its employees ought to be required to fully fund the retirement, and put the money in the hands of a neutral third party. Anything else is a ponzi scheme.
There should be no retirement benefits. Only 401Ks and Simple IRAs. Everything else is a Ponzi scheme since the actuarial prognostications are always a scam.
The changes to the accounting and reserve requirements for pensions were just the first of the financial engineering scams. Repeal of Glass-Seagull [or whatever] and the rise of leveraged buyouts (which is just the mafia scam of “busting out” a business) came next.
this led to “offshoring” and the eventual destruction of the middle class as our manufacturing base was destroyed for financial gain by a few.
n