Hot, humid, windy. Chance of rain.
Wed. was hot. Sunny. But there was a breeze all day and the water was 87F in most places. Hotter in the shallows.
Slept late, spent the rest of the day flying kites at the beach.
I could not get my new stunt kite up, I’m going to have to hit youtube for some guidance. It’s the first one I’ve gotten. I like kites.
The beach was pretty empty. A bit north was the public beach you can drive on, and it was a little bit more busy, but certainly not “end of summer, last weekend before school” busy. A couple of guys were in the surf fishing. There were a LOT of fish near the surface, but they said they were mullet and not good to eat. All they were getting was some sort of salt water catfish analog that they also tossed back. One trout, barely big enough to keep and they put him back too. Fishing is one of the things I’ve thought I should learn a bunch more about but I don’t have a mentor, and the time to bumble along is just to great. Daughter 2 got to reel in one of the cats and had fun doing that. And if you could eat hermit crabs, we’d have feasted.
All in all a good day. I plan to repeat it today.
And while I’m on vacation, the forces of entropy are not. Keep stacking.
n
What are you talking about? Mullets are the best! And they’re babe magnets!
Try the Viagra strings. 🙂
I have a stunt kite that I have used a lot, both coasts as a matter of fact. Really good flying at Kitty Hawk. TSA and the flight crew does give you strange looks while carrying the kite in it’s case. Mine was a costly kite, about $120.00 when I purchased the kite. This is the kite that I have, just in a different color. I have broken a couple of pieces but have been able to get replacement parts.
I have no issues getting the kite in the air if there is enough of a breeze. In a stronger breeze, such as sometimes found at the beach, the pull of the kite will cause me to almost lose my balance. It is a very strong pull. I am able to make the kite skim along the ground drawing a line in the sand for about 30 feet with the tip of the wing.
My daughter and I excel at catching runt sunfish (probably the same one over and over again). Though, for kids it’s mostly about catching something, no matter the size, to keep it fun. One of these days I’ll catch that 10lb Largemouth Bass. 🙂
Update on garage door issue:
24 hours of WD-40, and I was able to knock the guide loose with a hammer. The rust jam is definitely broken, but the garage door still doesn’t move. Sis has about a ton of stuff stacked against it to “block the opening.”
Friday we’re going to move that out of the way and see if we can raise the door then. If not, I’ll take the advice of all here and call in a pro.
All except me. Fire, Bill. Fire is your friend.
@ray, I have a very similar kite. I imagine that they are all pretty similar. Mine has some simpler details and different spine.
I can get it to launch, but it almost immediately does some dramatic maneuver and crashes hard. I think my control inputs are too big, and I don’t know if it’s easier to fly with short strings or long strings. So I’ll give it a try again today, but after I watch some vids.
n
Re nuclear yesterday…
Big reactors like Watts Bar are kind of scary in this way: Unit 1 is 3459MWt, which means when scrammed the initial decay heat is 242MW! That’s a lot of heat to dump in a scenario like Fukushima where grid and local power is lost. I assume changes were made to the local generator capability after Fukushima.
I’m a big fan of nuclear plants, btw, but also realistic.
As one who operated, lived ate and slept within feet of a Naval Submarine Nuclear Reactor for many years (deeper than 250-feet, faster than 20-knots, with periscope views of the Russian coast and Fleet) and then went on to the DOE Reactors at Hanford WA; Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) and 100 Area Graphite Moderated Reactors (almost like Chernobyl, but we knew how to operate them without blowing them up.)
I absolutely know that the only way we will get the energy we need now and in the future is Nuclear and Hydro.
All other forms are extremely inefficient and no matter what is said they are not renewable and/or kind to the environment. Yes, that includes Solar and Wind which both use a tremendous amount of dirty resources and energy to produce the “generating” equipment, and then that equipment has a useful life span that does not pay back the costs to make the equipment, not to mention a BIG disposal problem.
There is enough spent fuel that could be reprocessed into useable energy-producing fuel to supply our needs for the foreseeable future.
There are enough still useable “retired” Navy Submarine Nuclear Reactor Plants “buried” out at Hanford WA to provide a Nuclear Plant for many major and not so major cities (sorry, the number is Classified). (Retired due to submarine hull cycles, the reactor plants still have lots of useful of life left.)
Contrary to what the enviro-weenies say, Hydro Power has increased the Salmon populations and California would be powerless without the Hydro Power that WA State sends them.
It is way past time to stop talking about our “Energy Crisis” and do what is intuitively obvious to the most casual observer with active brain cells.
You left out Orbital Death Rays, sometimes called solar power satellites.
It sounds like the control strings are positioned improperly on the kite. Perhaps too low. Mine has an adjustment for performance reasons. Also make certain all the spreaders are installed properly, strings not behind the spreaders, the kite surface should be taut with an arch to the surface. The strings (there are two control strings) are attached to strings (two on each side) that actually attach to the kite. Perhaps those attachment strings are missing or incorrect. The actual length of your control strings, the ones you hang on to, should not make much of a difference unless the length is really short.
Thanks Ray, I’ll double check
n
You just excluded most of the democrats in office and a large chunk of democratic voters.
Ray is right again.
Along the lines of yesterday’s discussions about viral data:
https://jbhandleyblog.com/home/2020/7/27/lockdownlunacythree
Submitted to the hive mind with respect.
There are enough still useable “retired” Navy Submarine Nuclear Reactor Plants “buried” out at Hanford WA to provide a Nuclear Plant for many major and not so major cities (sorry, the number is Classified). (Retired due to submarine hull cycles, the reactor plants still have lots of useful of life left.)
I had wondered what we did with old Navy nuclear reactors.
The only problem with those retired Navy reactors is that they have 90+% uranium in them. That is bomb making material.
You just throw some Fairy Dust on the uranium and it is all better.
Thought this might be of interest:
https://www.eia.gov/realtime_grid/#/status?end=20200820T13
Note the link at the top to the new improved (beta) tool.
Lynn, do you know of better sites? I am more interested in forecast load vs available capacity, or is this too hard?
Thought this might be of interest:
https://www.eia.gov/realtime_grid/#/status?end=20200820T13
Note the link at the top to the new improved (beta) tool.
Lynn, do you know of better sites? I am more interested in forecast load vs available capacity, or is this too hard?
The only tool that I know of is the ERCOT main page. Which, is Texas specific (The Electric Reliability Council of Texas).
http://www.ercot.com/
BTW, Texas is incredibly difficult to forecast available capacity since we have 25,000 MW of wind turbines spread all over the state. At least half are in west Texas but many new wind turbines are being placed on the shore lines for the constant wind.
“A.F. Branco Cartoon – Malware”
https://comicallyincorrect.com/a-f-branco-cartoon-malware/
“Some are calling Biden a Trojan Horse, hidden inside waiting to take control are the radical left, Political cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2020”
Looks like a giant Biden Pez to me. Although, those are not candies inside.
“Tropical depression forms near Gulf of Mexico”
https://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/article/Tropical-depression-forms-in-Atlantic-second-15498051.php
“Tropical depression 14 formed in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday morning, and a forecast cone showing the storm’s probable center has Houston in its sights.”
Ruh roh.
I miss the storm porn on the Drudge Report.
I’m pretty sure everyone knows how to run one of those reactors better than the people in Pripyat.
I miss the storm porn on the Drudge Report.
SpaghettiModels.com has plenty of graphics.
The Navy generally has the best forecast track: https://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/TC.html
Clear Channel may get its Labor Day gas “shortage” in Central Texas after all, but Houston being the center of the track right now means the storm will probably go elsewhere along the Gulf.
Time to go fill the cars. I’ll have to pay attention to the traffic reports during rush hour to see if the San Antonio Clear Channel has GasBuddy.com sponsoring those segments.
“Antifa And BLM Are Begging People To Stop Posting Videos Of Riots Because They’re Getting Arrested”
https://karenkataline.com/antifa-and-blm-are-begging-people-to-stop-posting-videos-of-riots-because-theyre-getting-arrested/
Ok, that is cool !
Hat tip to:
https://thelibertydaily.com/
The fuel is in a “safe place” ready for re-processing.
All nuclear material is bomb-making material, just depends on if you want a big blinding light from a real atomic-bomb or a slow death from the highly radioactive material from a dirty-bomb.
Really, the safest place for nuclear fuel is in a reactor making efficient clean power. FYI, the fuel rods in a nuclear plant have to be replaced when they are only 5% used. So, essentially a fuel rod that runs for 20-years ends up, with re-processing, providing 400 years of power. Simply, Breeder Reactors are the real marvel as the produce, burn, and reprocess their fuel all in one system eliminating the shipping of spent and reprocessed fuel.
Make too much sense.
“Antifa And BLM Are Begging People To Stop Posting Videos Of Riots Because They’re Getting Arrested”
https://karenkataline.com/antifa-and-blm-are-begging-people-to-stop-posting-videos-of-riots-because-theyre-getting-arrested/
Ok, that is cool !
The cops are probably deploying other tech which harvests phone information that they don’t want to talk about in addition to the video. Face recognition is good but it could be tough to take to court. The clueless take their phones *everywhere*. I’ve even seen people with phones around their necks in plastic pouches at waterparks.
Really?
The guy that got hurt a couple of months ago trying to get the bluetooth MAC of a cop’s phone didn’t think through the fact that the cops have bluetooth scanners and stingrays to track your phone’s ESN and IMSI.
Ray, I think you managed to establish a new record: 2 thumbs down for you sir.
Go Ray. 🙂
The guy that got hurt a couple of months ago trying to get the bluetooth MAC of a cop’s phone didn’t think through the fact that the cops have bluetooth scanners and stingrays to track your phone’s ESN and IMSI.
Standard text messages are technically maintenance data with a much lower standard of proof for access required … outside of the 9th circuit of course.
Bluetooth harvesting is hit or miss, especially outdoors with moving targets. 50-50 unless you are at extremely close range. For now, vehicle Bluetooth can’t be used for applications like tolling, but a lot of academic research about things like urban planning and civil engineering use the harvesting gear.
Does that mean I win the interwebs for the day? Or just a participation trophy?
Or FAG powder. Same thing.
It has been a while… I think the one that mostly awarded the interweb wins was OFD. I hesitate to step in his shoes…
So how about we institute a “rattler” award. 🙂
Or a “rabble-rouser” award. There are a few people here who qualify for that …. 🙂
Ray, I think you managed to establish a new record: 2 thumbs down for you sir.
Go Ray.
Does that mean I win the interwebs for the day? Or just a participation trophy?
Just a participation trophy for you ! Blue and gold ribbon of course.
Harris County toll road authority uses blue tooth capture data for their speed maps. Txdot has expanded their network to provide speed data on major surface streets too. They claim the data is discarded..
They also claim the cams used for red light timing don’t record. They’ve never said they can’t be accessed in real time, or that they aren’t used for ANPR. EVERY intersection that has them also has a wireless data link antenna.
N
“Tropical Depression 14 likely headed for the Gulf but we still have more questions than answers”
https://spacecityweather.com/tropical-depression-14-likely-headed-for-the-gulf-but-we-still-have-more-questions-than-answers/
All together now, “FILL YOUR GAS TANKS”.
And we may end up with two, yes two, tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico simultaneously. That reputedly last happened in 1959.
Harris County toll road authority uses blue tooth capture data for their speed maps. Txdot has expanded their network to provide speed data on major surface streets too. They claim the data is discarded..
Speed mapping makes sense. Houston is the competition … for now.
it is funny, all the countries have oil vs nuclear for long time energy production, now, they added solar/wind
But all are NIMBY or anyone backyards.
funny
Bill & Steve
Ah, a hammer is better than fire, but a big one, with a hammer only noise and debris, with fire, you are contaminating
it is funny, all the countries have oil vs nuclear for long time energy production, now, they added solar/wind
Texas is around 65% electricity production using natural gas when you count the refineries and chemical plants. The oil is in usage for the transportation industry only.
There is a great chart at
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/
that shows “U.S. primary energy consumption by major sources, 1950-2019” halfway down the webpage. The amount of natural gas usage is approaching the petroleum usage for the entire USA and will eclipse it soon due to the cost differential.
Uh, hello, Tennessee:
‘Wonder why’: Parents asked to sign forms agreeing not to watch their children’s online classes
Along the lines of yesterday’s discussions about viral data:
https://jbhandleyblog.com/home/2020/7/27/lockdownlunacythree
Submitted to the hive mind with respect.
Good article. I hope that he is correct.
Really, the safest place for nuclear fuel is in a reactor making efficient clean power. FYI, the fuel rods in a nuclear plant have to be replaced when they are only 5% used. So, essentially a fuel rod that runs for 20-years ends up, with re-processing, providing 400 years of power. Simply, Breeder Reactors are the real marvel as the produce, burn, and reprocess their fuel all in one system eliminating the shipping of spent and reprocessed fuel.
I try to tell some of my friends about this, but they don’t want to listen. It’s a shame we didn’t do what we helped the French do. Both countries built safe reactors, but the French had a public relations campaign that convinced the public that what they did was good. We instead had some construction scandals that rightly caused the public to question safety. Then, the politicians got in the act and “fixed” the scandals, but drove the cost up to the point where a nuclear plant can’t compete with a coal or natural gas plant. If we had done it right, we could be basking in clean, safe, cheap energy for centuries to come. We could still do it, but it would be a huge uphill battle. We never learn.
ayjblog, it’s a running joke between Bill and me. Some years ago he was despairing of selling his townhouse for a good price because the neighborhood was declining. (Not sure of the details; something like that, though.) My constant refrain was “Fire, Bill. Fire.”
I’m not actually advising anyone to torch their own or anyone else’s property, or at least that’s what I’ll say if I’m ever called to testify.
My small town basically has one road in and out of town. A highway that passes through, four lane, mostly divided. At each end the city has installed license plate readers that read the plates entering on either end. If a plate of interest passes the portal the city police are alerted and a couple of police vehicles will stop the vehicle halfway through town. It was kept very hush-hush when they were installed. Sold to the public as traffic monitors without disclosing the real purpose.
If fairness to the system several known drug dealers have been located as well as stolen vehicles. The purpose of the system is good, the way it was hidden is not.
Lynn
I said oil identifying oil, gas, whatever, more, there was in times of cheaper NG at least one plant transformed from nuclear to NG selling electricity and steam
And yes Bill, with a caveat, not near the Sea or earthquake lines
Ok, a running joke, I thought you were talking about your door, no worry,
Uh, hello, Tennessee:
‘Wonder why’: Parents asked to sign forms agreeing not to watch their children’s online classes
My daughter indicated that at least one teacher lost control of the first online class meeting today and could not proceed until admins blocked the troublemaking individual.
The teachers’ unions want the year off with pay.
I got my Mastercard duplicated again at the local Shell station today. This is crazy. They got me last February. These people need to be strung up and horse whipped. They immediately went to the Murphy station at the Richmond Walmart and charged gas on my card which caused the Fraud department to text me.
WD-40 is a spray lubricant according to the can. The manufacturer also makes a WD-40 “Rust Release Penetrant Spray”
I’d suggest Kroil as a penetrant far superior to WD-40.
And if you know anyone with coin-op equipment, suggest they try SiliKroil.
I got my Mastercard duplicated again at the local Shell station today. This is crazy. They got me last February. These people need to be strung up and horse whipped. They immediately went to the Murphy station at the Richmond Walmart and charged gas on my card which caused the Fraud department to text me.
My co-worker at CGI had his debit card hit for the nicest hotel room in Dubuque, Iowa. $350 + tax, but still a lot of money considering what we got paid. It also took a couple of days to unwind.
I have previously mentioned my problems with mastercard and number generators… I was getting a new card every 10 days iirc. It was so bad and then it just stopped. Funny thing, I TOLD the support guy that I would never give the card up despite the hassle, because it has benefits they don’t offer anymore. Shortly after that the problems stopped. Funny.
Nice relaxing day here, headed home tomorrow.
n