Possible heavy rain, but maybe not. Most likely not. Hot and humid for certain. Possible cold weather headed this way, but hard to believe at the moment. It was beautiful last night.
Spent the day yesterday messing around, doing little things around the house and in between other things. On “days off” I like to prioritize tasks I wouldn’t do during my “normal workday”. Usually those are small and low priority tasks, but they do make a difference. I have been sorting and cleaning more than usual, with an eye toward adding some furniture for better storage and organization in a couple of places. I might have to buy it new, unless I get really lucky in one of the auctions.
I did get lucky in the auction I was monitoring all day. D2 wants to exchange her bunk bed for a loft bed so she can get more usable space in her room. Yesterday’s auction had 3 lots, NIB wooden loft beds. I did get one for a quarter of new retail and I’ll be picking it up today. I also won a couple of go carts that you attach to “hoverboards”. We’ve got two of the hoverboards and I thought it would be fun to race them in the street, if there was no risk of falling down and breaking a wrist or noggin. They were $5 each, so cheap enough to be fun.
I’ll definitely need to hit the grocery store today too, I’m tired of being out of soda.
In puppy news, I am not happy with the kid’s commitment to taking care of him, nor of her training of him. He is “her” dog. She lets him break the rules, lets him bark incessantly, forgets to feed him, and never picks up after him. Puppy is still ‘excitement piddling’ AND he’s marking furniture in the house. I am not willing to be a hostage in my own home, nor am I willing to live in filth. I’ve watched others, particularly my sibling, have their lives ruled by un-ruly pets. Sounds sh!tty and cold, but I’m not willing. D1 needs to step up, or either I will take over, or Zeus will find a new home. I like him, but I haven’t bonded with him like I did with the previous dog. I’ll miss his antics, but I won’t miss coming home to a house that smells like dog p!ss. I’ll let them try a couple more things, but I need to see some changes. Advice from experience is welcome, but keep in mind, 12 yo girl who so far has only looked for excuses. (and yes, this is ‘all about me’ as the others seem willing to just keep on with the way it’s going.)
So add that to my stress level and bad mood.
My prepping and stacking has been sidelined by domestic issues. Doesn’t mean yours should be… keep stacking up the good stuff.
nick
@nick:
My eldest daughter decided, in her wisdom, to get a dog, while she was still living at home. She did not mention it to anyone, the first thing we knew was when a classic "sausage dog" arrived – a pedigree dachshund. And not a miniature variety.
Now, I'm no fan of dogs, after an experience when I was about 6 years old. But I was willing to allow this as an experiment. She started with, but did not complete, training, so Ben would bark incessantly at anything, although he tolerated our (then 3) cats. She did succeed with house training.
He also had an annoying habit of attacking the letter slot in the front door, whenever Postie pushed anything through it. Broke 2 draught excluders doing it.
Eventually, he succumbed to back problems, which are endemic among the breed, and we had to have him put down. Note, that's us, Jane and I, because D1 was "too busy with work".
So no more dogs for us. We still have 2 surviving cats.
G.
Live the future of transportation for about 95% of the population.
Meanwhile, The Real Life Tony Stark (TM) has more problems. Not that it really matters at this point. The "Show Ya" personalities who bought into the EV dream are going to stick with it to the very end.
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/tesla-recalls-475k-us-vehicles-quality-issues
Still Tyler Durden cowardice, but some of the car journalists are starting to pick at the edges of the problems.
Windows 11:
3.. You Have to Sign in to a Microsoft Account to Use Windows 11 Home edition
Ain't going to happen.
The pandemic in a nutshell. The teacher got on a plane knowingly sick to the point that she brought home Covid tests in her carryon.
How much did she pay on EBay for the tests?
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/woman-tests-positive-for-covid-19-mid-flight-isolates-for-5-hours-in-bathroom/3472159/
FOMO idiot. “But I only had a week before school started again and I really wanted to make that trip.”
Imagined quote. Now here’s an actual one:
“There’s 150 people on the flight, and my biggest fear was giving it to them”
Then why did you get on the friggin’ plane?
My guess is she thought that she could get through the therm check at customs before manifesting serious symptoms. She was ready to spread it to the entire population of Iceland.
Oh, but she’s a teacher. Cue the violins.
And when people admit to doing this, they don't get shamed and shunned. Instead, she was tended and pampered on the trip, and now is being lauded and paraded across millions of screens as a media darling.
There is a way to install W11 without a MS account and use a local account. The people doing the reporting and complaining are too lazy to figure out to install W11 without a MS account.
All AV software gets mixed results, none are perfect. Most AV software is a money grab with subscription requirements by playing on people's fears. The best AV there is lies between the ears. The biggest virus risk lies between the ears. The best AV software in the world is not going to stop stupid people clicking on a software download link that says they won $1,00.00 (intentional) from AMAZ0N (notice the zero). They will intentionally click past any warnings from AV software then wonder how they got infected.
Based on my research and tests done by others, Windows Defender is more than good enough for every day use without paying for extra, sometimes questionable, solutions. I have had several issues with AV software stopping software installs, causing software problems, impacting the system speed, and otherwise getting in the way.
I believe it was Norton at one time issued an update to the AV signatures that flagged critical Windows files as infected, and then removed the files. Windows would no longer boot or if it did the result was a blue screen. Recovering from that was a reinstall or boot from Linux and copy back the missing files. Then it was necessary to start in command mode and disable Norton.
I have personally had issues with ESET, supposedly one of the better products, cause issues with booting. It was sometimes necessary to boot into safe mode, then reboot normally. It was a conflict with another piece of software. Both companies blamed the other vendor so the issue was never resolved.
AV software over time has caused me more issues than Windows Defender has caused. I used to run AV (ESET) before Windows Defender because protection was needed. Somewhere, sometime, the AV software would cause grief. Defender has never caused any grief.
According to the story she did not know she had Covid before she boarded. Taking self tests on the plane when she traveled is not unusual.
Our former exchange who arrived December 19 for a visit just left yesterday. She had several home tests with her to use while she is traveling. She will test herself on the plane on her return flight before she arrives back in Germany. She has tested herself a couple of times while she was here.
I know of one person that took two tests in one day. The first test was negative. The next test about six hours later and it was positive. It is either a problem with the tests, or the ability to have the virus detected changes that quickly.
If the cap's reversed, your board is cursed.:
https://wccftech.com/asus-confirms-reversed-memory-capacitor-as-the-root-cause-of-rog-maximus-z690-hero-issues-will-offer-replacement-to-all-affected-users/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SUC8sdP5eI
Unplug the Ethernet cable and don't select an SSID for WiFi when Windows asks.
Wow, usually one cap isn't critical on a board with so many components. And fires? Yikes.
n
It's like the difference between the gasolina going to the injectors or pizzling on the block.
W10 keeps telling me there's a problem with my account and the fix is to sign in with my MS account.
Nope.
Actually, I do on one computer, but not all.
From Bitcoin To Gold: A Peek At Real Assets In 2022
–wow, how cute. They think crypto is a "real" asset.
n
>> And when people admit to doing this, they don't get shamed and shunned. Instead, she was tended and pampered on the trip, and now is being lauded and paraded across millions of screens as a media darling.
People still with FOMO of their "15 minutes of fame."
Crypto IS a real asset, until it isn't. Although I am not interested, if I were I would play it very short term. Short term, volatility is good, and stability is stagnation.
It is hard to ignore the big swings, but I wouldn't want to answer Yes to the IRS at tax time. Never lie to the government.
Flew into Tuscon yesterday. Whenever I get to fly, I DO appreciate the incredible luxury of crossing the continent in a matter of hours with a view as good as God Himself. Beyond the wildest dreams of any King not that long ago.
OTOH…
The nattering nabobs of nungacity and continuous hectoring harridans in dulcet tones is exhausting.
One sign before the TSA checkpoint:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZsueoRSUEYZBjX3p6
I'm RELIEVED that decking a TSA uniform won't cost more than umpteen thousand nine hundred ELEVEN buckskis. Maybe they have a two for one special, some days.
Wow, what a sign. And an oddly specific amount.
n
added- iirc, TSA are not LEOs, only clerk level .gov employees. wonder how they got special treatment?
Only their best…
–anyone want to bet dad supplied the murder weapon as well as the getaway vehicle?
n
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10355849/US-hits-record-nearly-500-000-Covid-cases-24-hours-Experts-says-viral-blizzard.html
Nice headline. How many times can it be claimed we are ALL going to die before even the ignorant stop believing?
There are a significant number of people that use the ER for ALL their health care needs. They have no PCP, even if they have some form of insurance. Plus, many testing places are booked solid for many days. A friend in NYC says the turnaround for a PCR test is now 5 days.
How often do you practice shooting one handed?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10355661/Moment-Colombian-security-guard-22-fatally-shot-day-job-Video.html
Shot in gut but still killed attacker.
Noticed the guy, focused on him, but then went back to phone. And ended up dead.
I watch all the actual shooting videos I come across and see a lot of one handed shooting. Which used to be the predominant method, even with training. Now it's all about where your thumbs are pointing, tension in your arms, etc. Next time you're at the range, run a mag lefty, and one single handed.
n
The sign says during screening. After, or before, screening I guess it is OK to deck a TSA agent.
From yesterday: I use Sophos Home (free up to 10 installs) on my home systems, in addition to Windows Defender. Works well, and has a ‘dashboard’ where you can see the installs on your account. Doesn’t seem to have much effect on the system; McAfee has been a resource hog on my systems. On a new system, I uninstall the free McAfee, and install Sophos Home.
Weather report here (somewhere opposite Mutiny Bay WA – look it up): unusual snow event continues. Started Christmas Day with about 4-5 inches on the ground at the end of that storm. Caused by cold coming out of Fraiser Valley in BC meeting moist air coming from the west (and other meteorological things).
New storm today; snowing now; will probably get another 2-3 inches before it quits. Temps yesterday was 24F and 26F (low and high for the day). Same forecast for today. Main roads here are sanded and plowed; residential streets got one pass yesterday.
Drove from CA on Monday. Took a lot longer at 40mph on snowpacked to slushy roads from about mid-Oregon to home here in northern WA. But the 2019 Highlander has a ‘snow’ mode that gives extra traction (or something), so was able to get up the hill (about 125 foot elevation change) on the snow-packed roads to the house.
Made a small grocery run yesterday. Local store was out or low of many “French Toast” products – probably due to local delivery issues, but most other stock was OK. Everyone wore masks. Staying home today – no need to go anywhere. This snow storm will end this afternoon, and it may warm up to above freezing in a couple of days. House is warm – even with the heat pump only – and power is good (one 2 hour outage yesterday morning; local PUD is good at resolving issues that mostly involve trees into the power lines).
150 charges of reckless endangerment. That will stop this foolishness.
Annnnddddd….. it's gone.
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/investors-abandon-underperforming-esg-fund-aum-collapses-91-overnight
–get woke, go broke.
n
Yeah when I was younger I used to go around and an electric cart with an ice chest full of beer chasing a little ball.
Too white and privledged for some.
https://californiaglobe.com/articles/californias-public-golf-courses-to-be-converted-to-affordable-housing-complexes-under-ab-672/
Fear. I swear I remember Tom Clancy making the rounds after 9/11 arguing that the staffing of security checkpoints at the airports needed to be Federalized, which started the mess.
Airports are free under the regulations to bring back rent-a-cops if they believe it would be sufficient, but the hoops required to jump through with Homeland Security to certify the checkpoints are onerous.
The last airport I remember even suggesting doing away with the TSA was Orlando-Sanford about a decade ago. Pournelle's Iron Law kicked in and the combined weights of the TSA and Orlando International Airport bureaucracies landed feet-first on SFB so that idea quickly went away.
Anyone who has been through TSA at Orlando International understands why Sanford doing away with the mess would be a competitive advantage the larger airport couldn’t match.
We’re about to repeat the TSA mistake with masking on flights on a permanent basis.
The wife won't let me watch TV with her now. She is in the middle of season six of Lost. I am in the middle of season five. She says too many changes happen between five and six.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_(TV_series)
"But the 2019 Highlander has a ‘snow’ mode that gives extra traction (or something), so was able to get up the hill (about 125 foot elevation change) on the snow-packed roads to the house."
Must be nice (seriously.) Started life near Detroit, where there was mostly freeze-thaw slush, black ice, and freezing rain. Also has one of the world's biggest salt mines. Never had snow tires. My parents had studded tires once, before they were banned, and they were great for those conditions.
When some friends brag about their four (or all) wheel drive, I mention that I have four wheel brakes. That has been thoroughly discussed here.
Instead of Snow Mode, I have Garage Mode. Works perfectly. Great for retirees.
@jimb:
Me, too. Except for garage, read street.
We have a garage, but it's at the end of the drive/alley, 30+ feet behind the building line. And that alley is no more than 8 feet wide. Even I can't reliably (or couldn't. I wouldn't try now, age is catching up on me) reverse along it at all easily.
So, in my case, unless for certain purposes, I catch the bus (200 yards away) or don't go out, depending on urgency and weather.
Of course, I get free bus and train travel, outside rush hours, because pensioner.
G.
Has anyone cooked lamb in the pressure cooker? I usually roast it, but today I have a boneless leg that isn't going to be completely thawed by supper time, and this recipe sounds pretty good.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/instant-pot-lamb-4580602
@Geoff, reminds me how I used to back (reverse) a 16' trailer about 50' through a narrow curved alley with fences, trees, and a shed as obstacles. At the end was a 90 degree turn to the parking spot. Got so I could do it in one shot without stopping. I wonder if I could do that today without a spotter. Fortunately don't have to, as I live on a spacious property.
We were once in Italy, and had to drive between buildings that allowed about 1" space on each side with the mirrors folded. The walls were rough stone, and I needed two spotters to watch for clearance up and down both sides of the car. About 30' of slow going. My father taught me that most tight spaces can be negotiated if taken slowly, watching all around. Patience pays off.
Sometime watch a good truck driver maneuver in tight quarters. Some are amazing.
That's around the time that Jar Jar Abrams got distracted with "Fringe" and the 2009 "Star Trek" reboot movie.
Where do you buy lamb? Not at the Burnet or Marble Falls HEBs.
San Saba County was said several years ago to be the center of goat production in the US. Does HEB carry any? With all of their "Teas Proud" noise?
Shrug.
Mom made lamb chops a couple of times. Once in California and once in Mobile. Good stuff.
Some screeners appear to be contractors and TSA may be expanding that.
@pecancorner, I usually oven roast a leg roast, with the bone removed. Wife is the instapot driver here, I have never used it.
I've got chicken in the crock pot for tonight though.
Give it a try and let us know!
n
Pearls Before Swine: Word Of The Year
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2021/12/30
I am with rat, the word of the year is not "vax".
IIRC, golf is nosediving nationwide. Country Clubs and courses are closing up like crazy. Millennials and Zoomers don't care all that much for it. So, the clubs can't replace the members that are dying off.
Aldi!!! Aldi, lovely Australian lamb – racks or legs – for anywhere from $5.99 to $7.99 a pound on sale. And while Aldi brings us good meat at a fair price year round, the local United (Albertsons) was advertising lamb at $18 a pound last week, but they only have it at holidays.
Yes, we live smack dab in the middle of US meat goat country, goats and/or sheep as far as the eye can see, and goat is never available in any stores from Stephenville to Lampassas to San Angelo. Nada. Can't even special order it. Not even any of the BBQ restaurants offer it. Nick posted the other day that goat was $13 lb in Houston, but we don't even have the option of price-gouged goat.
@jimb:
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din. I never had to do any towing, so never had to learn to back up a trailer.
G.
On the farm I could back a 20’ hay trailer down a 100’ aisle in the barn with 1’ clearance on each side. No mirrors on the tractor. I regularly back the travel trailer, 30’ including the hitch, into RV parking spaces. I can generally do it in one try. I have been backing trailers since before I had a driver’s license. The longer the trailer the easier to back. Truck trailers with the axles in the back are the easiest. Hardest were wave runner trailers. It was generally easier when loading the wave runner to just lift the trailer and walk it back while the wife backed the tow vehicle.
I played a lot of golf in high school and college. I stopped when i got a real job and had to prioritize spending. Back then, 25 +years ago, a municipal course wasn't expensive. Of course, I have no idea if an inexpensive course locally exists. I just checked and there is still reasonably priced golf available. There is a course by the airport that charges $23 to walk 18 during the week and $25 to walk on weekends. Not bad at all. I'll get back into it, hopefully, when I retire. If any courses exist by then, that is.
>> Windows 11:
3.. You Have to Sign in to a Microsoft Account to Use Windows 11 Home edition
Ain't going to happen.
I just created a new email account at outlook.com that will otherwise go unused. Didn't seem at the time I installed Windows 11 to be a big deal. You also create a PIN which is what I use to sign on to this machine, which mostly is only when it does a forced reboot after M$ pushes an update.
Certain jobs can be delegated to contractors, but the "hands on" work such as bag screening and crotch groping are union gigs.
I've seen non-TSA personnel in Austin handling the initial ID check against the name on the ticket and, recently, watching the exits of the secure areas to make sure no one goes in through the exits.
Ocala, Florida has a large horse slaughterhouse and packing facility, but, for obvious reasons, the meat is not stocked at, say, Publix.
Output of the plant is shipped to Europe IIRC.
Interestingly, I have seen goat in stores in Florida, particularly areas with large Caribbean island expat populations.
Check the local halal meat stores. Goat is usually readily available there.
No Aldi around here as far as I know. Maybe in Lampasas but they sure better be worth driving the longest stretch of road ever.
That would be the 20-ish miles from Burnet to Lampasas. One way.
Other than the /horror/ of eating My Friend Flicka, how is horse? On a scale running from pork to goat to beef?
Do you do steaks or just stir fry or grind it?
I've always wanted to wear cowboy boots made from panda leather while flipping a dolphin steak on the grill and wearing a Green Peace shirt. 😈
When we lived in Ft Lauderdale in 1971, we were nearly surrounded by orange groves, but those beautiful, tasty oranges were shipped out of town. The stuff in most grocery stores was of mediocre quality. We learned to buy from the groves.
Trailer backing? Me? If it's connected to the Yanmar I can manage if there is not a crowd laughing. Trailer always goes the other way and yeah, I've been taught…. didn't stick at all. One of the folks laughing can do the backing.
Other silliness. I thought my Squeezbox 3 died. The power supply Flukes as good. So I tried a spare Squeezebox 2 that is sitting on the shelf because of "I forget what but it was weird". That didn't work.
Ok. I have a SB2 in the EDC that just works. Unplug it, plug in the SB3 and it boots. Same for the SB2.
Bad power supply. Tests as having good voltage. Oh, hey, like a BATTERY that tests good until you crank the engine. 🙂 I should have another power supply but it's in a very safe place.
eBay to the rescue.
"Oh, hey, like a BATTERY that tests good until you crank the engine."
That's one of the best ways to test a car battery: watch the dome light and listen to the starter while cranking. Eventually your eyes and ears will become calibrated. Just know that the battery fails soon after you notice weakness.
For more advance warning, go to a place that has a good battery tester. Preferably one that does NOT sell batteries.
That's a good tip for the urban areas. No such thing around here, though. We are in the boonies. People eat goat, but they raise it themselves or buy on-the-cloven-hoof and take to a deer processor.
Ours is in Brownwood, 15 miles one way from us, but a bit too long a drive for you. It is an odd store. My friend from Germany says it is exactly like the ones in Germany and Europe. I was afraid of it for a long time, thought it would be low quality, but now it is my favorite store. I've never been disappointed. They don't carry corn meal or grits, but they have sausages and cheese and delicious soups and great prices.
We are very familiar with the drive from Lampasas to Burnet-durnit, as we go there to shop the Knot Hole, and through there to Austin to see the kids. You are right about that stretch of road… it just goes on and on.
Oh, the Knot Hole. Then it was the Village Crossing. Now, same thing with another name. Personally, I liked it better as a Super S, a weird little store but the prices were just a few cents more than Skaggs or Albertson's or Tom Thumb charged in Austin. And yeah, like 3 cents more… Never been a huge fan of HEB.
The Super S had several folks there that were not quite right. Downs and whatever. But they all seemed to be good employees.
We used to go to Comanche to see the folks. They've been gone almost 20 years. But she always had something for lunch…. she bought chicken patties from somewhere in Brownwood. I forget if it was "this side" or “that side" of Underwoods. Easy to cook. Not chicken nuggets, not pounded flat chicken breasts, sort of in between. About 5 inches across. Chicken fried chicken. Served with gravy and mashed potatoes. Where? Don't know.
Oh well.
Oh. Weather Forecast says 23F for Saturday and Sunday nights. I'm sitting here ATM with the windows open and it's 77F. We had a hard freeze last February. Broken pipes, broken dishwasher fill valve…. 1F is the coldest I've seen ever…. 13F was the record.
Tell ya what, you may think that 1/4 copper pipe is causing your dishwasher to fill slow. When the fill valve and plumbing thaws, you just wish that copper pipe restricted water flow. Just saying.
I finally crawled under the house yesterday and wrapped the repaired and pipes. My back is about one good sneeze from "you will crawl for a week". Huh. Never had that problem 30 years ago.
Aldi is in Georgetown, near where 29 meets I-35. I've been in there only once.
No idea what the taste is like.
Good to know. A bit far to go grocery shopping, for me.
Florida orange production was for juice. The varieties which present well on produce racks in stores don't do well in the state. Homeowners who can baby the trees get pretty oranges, but that isn't practical on a large scale.
Commercial production of any citrus is way off in the state. The "Citrus" Tower attraction sits in the middle of newish creepy subdivisions in Clermont, 3/2 stucco shacks supplanting the trees in the last 30 years.
A lot of German military wives go through Fort Hood/Kileen. When I worked at CGI in Belton, I was in the Temple ALDI once a week, and I noticed they had a German specialty shelf area that I haven't seen in Georgetown or Pflugerville. Definitely not at ALDI outside Tampa.
Portland had Trader Joes everywhere instead of ALDI, even in glorious Vantucky, where we lived. The stores are corporate "cousins" of a sort, but the corporate parents may merge back together once the heirs of the two brothers stop fighting.
ALDI spaetzle is good, a decent alternative to rice or other starch with dinner. If you see it in your store, try a package.
@greg:
I understand that these are houses, probably with some form of plaster moulding ornamentation on the outside, and probably thrown up cheaply, bur what's "3/2"? Three half floors?
It's not a term we have in UK.
G.
3/2
I gonna guess 1 and 1/2 baths.
3/2 = 3 bedrooms, 2 baths.
Thanks, all.
G.
Three bedrooms, two baths.Split floor plan with the full bath attached to the master bedroom at one side of the house and another full bath between the two auxiliary bedrooms on the other end, kitchen, dining, and living area(s) arranged in between.
Exterior walls are hollow concrete block with stucco on the exterior. Low white concrete tile roofs with minimal attic. Interior walls protected from ground by a poured slab are wood frame.
US Home. Arthur Rutenberg. Really common in retirement areas of Florida. Rutenberg became a billionare on the shacks, but, ironically, built really fancy homes around Florida after he semi-retired.
"The 23 Best New Wave Science Fiction Books" by Dan Livingston
https://best-sci-fi-books.com/the-23-best-new-wave-science-fiction-books/
"The New Wave of science fiction started around the mid-60s and was an explosion of new ideas, experimental formats, and some serious weirdness. It was a departure from the more straightforward stories of the forties and fifties, so expect varying degrees of WTF-ery in these books."
I have read the "Lord of Light", "The Left Hand of Darkness", "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", "Dangerous Visions", and "Dune". I have also seen "Bladerunner" which was based on "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?".
>> decking a TSA uniform won't cost more than umpteen thousand nine hundred ELEVEN buckskis
The sign says during screening. After, or before, screening I guess it is OK to deck a TSA agent.
@Ray, go ahead and give it a try and let s know how it works out for you…ya know, 'take one for the team.'
Aldi is closer to me than any other grocery but I still haven't been. Traumatized by them in my youth… 🙂
D1 wants to shop there by herself for "food she likes to eat". Other than pasta, I haven't figured out what that might be, and she can't tell me. Bread rolls and lunchmeat?
It's a very sleek and modern looking store from the outside, big windows, high concept design. The neighborhood moms couldn't wait for it to open. I check their ads, but don't typically see anything I can't get cheaper at HEB.
n
"The Cosmic Decoy (Perry Rhodan #21)" by K. H. Scheer, translated by Wendayne Ackerman
https://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Decoy-Perry-Rhodan-21/dp/B0006W83VA/br?tag=ttgnet-20 />
Book number twenty-one of a series of one hundred and twenty-six space opera books in English. The original German books, actually pamphlets, number in the thousands. The English books started with two translated German stories per book and transitioned to one story per book with the sixth book. The German books were written from 1961 to present time, having sold two billion copies and even recently been rebooted. I read the well printed and well bound book published by Ace in 1973 that I had to be very careful with due to age. I bought an almost complete box of Perry Rhodans a decade or two ago on ebay that I am finally getting to since I lost my original Perry Rhodans in The Great Flood of 1989. In fact, I now own book #1 to book #101, plus the Atlan books.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Rhodan
BTW, this is actually book number 28 of the German Pamphlets. There is a very good explanation of the plot in German on this website of all of the PR books. There is automatic Google translation available for English, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, French, and Portuguese.
https://www.perrypedia.de/wiki/Der_kosmische_Lockvogel
In this alternate universe, USSF Major Perry Rhodan and his three fellow astronauts blasted off in a three stage rocket to the Moon in 1971. The first stage of the rocket was chemical, the second and third stages were nuclear. After crashing on the Moon due to a strange radio interference, they discover a massive crashed alien spaceship with an aged male scientist (Khrest), a female commander (Thora), and a crew of 500. It has been ten years since then and the New Power has flourished with millions of people and many spaceships headquartered in the Gobi desert, the city of Terrania.
Perry Rhodan and his people have detected the presence of somebody spying upon the people of Terra. Rhodan has sent Cadet Julian Tifflor on a secret mission to flush the spies into the open. The operation was successful but the space ship is captured and taken to another star system.
One has to remember that this book was written in German in 1962 and translated to English in 1973. Many items that came about in the 1970s and beyond such as cell phones are not reflected in the book. However, commercial aircraft commonly traveling at Mach 3 are not available to the public as talked about in the book. Niels Bohr's saying "Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future" comes to mind.
Two observations:
1. The publisher should have put two to four of the translated stories in each book. Having two stories in the first five books worked out well. Just having one story in the book is too short and would never allow the translated books to catch up to the German originals.
2. Anyone liking Perry Rhodan and wanting a more up to date story should read the totally awesome "Mutineer's Moon" Dahak series of three books by David Weber.
https://www.amazon.com/Mutineers-Moon-Dahak-David-Weber/dp/0671720856/br?tag=ttgnet-20 />
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 5 out of 5 stars (1 review)
>> I have personally had issues with ESET, supposedly one of the better products, cause issues with booting. It was sometimes necessary to boot into safe mode, then reboot normally. It was a conflict with another piece of software. Both companies blamed the other vendor so the issue was never resolved.
I've used ESET extensively with Win 7 without issues but the older laptop that is still on 7 will no longer update ESET.
Will continue with Defender for now until it's time to renew my ESET licenses and then re-evaluate. Let's see how much they raise their prices.
>> Crypto IS a real asset, until it isn't. Although I am not interested, if I were I would play it very short term. Short term, volatility is good, and stability is stagnation.
Similar with this whole NFT craze. Bored Apes? Really??
plugs just can't help poking the bear:
Putin warns Biden sanctions will be a 'colossal mistake'
plugs gonna "Launch Vipers" and call a lid for the day. NATO got anything to say, or is he going to commit the US solo. What exactly are our National Interests here?
"Germany powering down three nuclear plants in shift to renewables"
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/587764-germany-powering-down-three-nuclear-plants-in-shift-to-renewables
"Germany will be shutting down three of its six remaining nuclear power stations on Friday as it moves away from nuclear power in favor of renewable energy."
Foolish, foolish people. I won't be surprised to hear of their grid failure in the near future.
Hat tip to:
https://www.drudgereport.com/
>> Sometime watch a good truck driver maneuver in tight quarters. Some are amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DITgvguHcIU
Just one of many if you want to go down that sinkhole.
They try too hard to not be like Americans in Europe.
Of course, nothing has really changed in Texas.
Nice try plugs:
Biden administration asks Supreme Court to let it end Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' policy because the executive branch 'has power' over the border
These are the same people who argued the exact opposite when tRump tried to keep immigrants out from third world shite-hole countries.
@Lynn
Drop the titles and a couple authors, and it becomes
"Science Fictions's Not Just No but Fudge No" author list.
I see from the comments that Livingston wasn't really familiar with Lord of Light.
Zelazny is one of the author exceptions.
So is Ellison, sometimes. Dangerous Visions does not belong on that list.
Vonnegut had Billy Pilgrim unstuck in time, and since Kurt did not want to be considered a science fiction author, I'd take him off the list as a courtesy.
As for the rest, I'd rather stick needles in my eyes.
Silverberg during that time couldn't write a story without death and depression as the main character. He apparently put all the good stuff in the Don Elliot books.
In the early 70's I discussed starting a science fiction course with one of the profs in the English department. I think Dune would have been a deal-breaker for him. And that was before the sequels and "I know, gang! Let's have another new story about a Duncan Idaho clone!"
ADDED: Just as Laumer invented cyberpunk and doesn’t get credit, Cordwainer Smith was writing and selling “New Wave” long before most of those yaks could get published.
>> Putin warns Biden sanctions will be a 'colossal mistake'
plugs gonna "Launch Vipers" and call a lid for the day. NATO got anything to say, or is he going to commit the US solo. What exactly are our National Interests here?
National Interests? Spreading Democracy as Leader of the Free World of course.
Ya see, now that Uncle Joe has decided that Covid is a states issue, he needs something else to occupy his free time between naps.
–even back then I don't think I'd have had the stomach for this. Hell no indeed.
n
Other than Dune and the PKD, I don’t think I’ve ever come across any of them before. And I was pretty well read, moving from the Grand Old Men to the new wave of cyberpunk during that time and immediately after. Delany is one of the worst authors I’ve ever read, and his personal beliefs are repugnant. All that “un-named narrator, un-named city, evocative dreamscape” crap is just that, lazy crap.
Almost nothing on that list stood the test of time.
n
Silverberg wrote a Global Cooling book, Time of the Great Freeze.
Yes, golf also passing away here in SoCal. Also, Lawn Tennis…..bye, bye.
My FIL's golf club packed it in the first year of wuflu. His second one isn't looking good.
The small redneck club my parents belonged to has been holding on by a thread for a couple of decades.
n
In addition to going woke, my alma mater had this to say in the alumni newsletter…
—nope, not one dime of my money.
n
Nope. I am already, or someone else that shares my name, on some secret list. I generally get pulled aside for more extensive screening, especially overseas. Last Norway trip I was taken into another room and asked to strip to my underwear. While I stood there a couple of agents were going over my clothes with their hands feeling everything. I had already been told to empty my pockets. They also took my passport into another room. I have no idea what they did with the passport.
My experience was with WIN7. I don't remember the software that conflicted with ESET or the other way around. May have been due to a startup order. The system would just hang on boot. Had to do a hard reset, boot into safe mode, then do a normal restart. ESET and the other software vendor blamed each other so nothing was solved. ESET did not seem to care nor did the other software vendor.
The software was good for the company. The company being non-profit paid $11.00 per seat per year. That included the version that ran on the servers. The best price I could find from any AV vendor not counting the worthless free versions. The company also ran AV software on the firewall and on the email server. Something getting through was unlikely. The company also blocked all ports except 443, 80 and 25. All the internal software required port 81 to run and that port was checked in the URL every time the application was accessed.
I could run scans on each system from the server which I generally did about once a week. I liked ESET software and felt it worked well for the company's needs.
>> Yes, golf also passing away here in SoCal. Also, Lawn Tennis…..bye, bye.
Gotta make room for the Pickleball courts.
Went to the Urgent care for a strep test; the PA decided to run a flu test and a covid test instead, and I was too woozy to insist on adding the strep test back in.
I came back positive for both Covid and flu.
I started my Tamiflu course.
PA said "contact your PCP and get a referral for monoclonal antibodies, which has to be done in a hospital".
My PCP is in Houston. My body is in Southern Illinois. Houston doctor can't order the IV from there, and I can't go back. Apparently, no local doctor is going to go out of the way to order it.
I joked with my GF that I'll show up at the ED and claim to be an illegal alien. She told me there seem to be supply issues with the IV. I thought Dopey Joe only cut off the red states, and Illinois bleeds blue.
I'll let you know how it works. It sucks being tired and achy and having a sore throat and cough that keeps you up at night.
On the plus side, I'm breathing, not feverish, and my O2 saturation is good.
CNN Writer Attacks Dan Bongino, Whining That He's Insulated Himself Against Deplatforming Attacks From CNN's Political Allies at Media Matters
—Ace
http://ace.mu.nu/
One can eat the nicer cuts of horse – filet, back strap, steaks from the large muscles, fast pan-fried. They tend to be cut thinner than an equivalent piece of beef, probably because the meat is not very palatable rare, so the goal is to get a thinnish piece medium or medium-well right through.
Like venison, horsemeat is a darker shade of red than beef, and contains more iron and less fat than beef, so it is important not to overcook it in fast-cooking, as it quickly turns hard and tastes of liver. Like venison, it can successfully be braised or stewed, but it needs to be combined with other ingredients to avoid the livery taste. Stews with wine, root vegetables and potatoes are typical.
Horse meat is often used minced/ground in the same way as minced/ground beef. In French/Belgian cuisine, it is commonly so used as meatballs in a white sauce with mushrooms that is served in a puff pastry case, known as "vol au vent" in France or "bouchées à la reine" in Belgium, which is a favourite dish for new year's eve or new year's day.
IKEA Swedish meatballs/kotbullar were found to contain ground horse meat some time ago, which caused a bit of an outcry, forcing the company to promise to stick to beef/veal.
TLDR: horse is somewhere between beef and venison, but not as nice as whale.
I believe I had horse very thin sliced at breakfast in Norway.
The whale I ate there was so good we went back for seconds despite the price.
The reindeer was very dry and tough.
n
We may be warm now but Saturday is going to be a big change. 84 F to 34 F is the prediction.
https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/tx/richmond?cm_ven=localwx_10day
"Just one of many if you want to go down that sinkhole."
I have watched a couple a while back. They make it look easy. These drivers are among the best. Thanks.
I listened to a couple more Louis L'Amour audio books (well, dramatized short stories) while I was driving around today. Very engaging. Blackmail, murder, theft, all good subjects.
I've got about 8 or 9 more too. Looking forward to them.
n
Open weather map has the cold coming Sunday and Monday night…
n
For the car lovers and shade tree mechanics in the group, if you haven't seen this youtube channel, you should start.
Short hits of OMFG!!!11!!! every day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDKEV65AVLs
2021 compilation. "Customer states ….."
n
>> My PCP is in Houston. My body is in Southern Illinois. Houston doctor can't order the IV from there, and I can't go back.
What prevents him/her from ordering the IV? I would think that with all the tele-medicine going on something like this shouldn't be an issue?
Is your PCP in another state by choice?
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Is your PCP in another state by choice?
–got sick while traveling.
n
"Finally, New York State Tells The World How To Achieve Net Zero Carbon Emissions"
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/12/30/finally-new-york-state-tells-the-world-how-to-achieve-net-zero-carbon-emissions/
"New York may be a late-comer to Net Zero plans, but by God, our politicians and bureaucrats are so much smarter than those clowns across the country or the pond. In 2019 the New York legislature enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), self-described on the State’s website as “the nation-leading [law] to empower every New Yorker to fight climate change at home, at work, and in their communities.” The Climate Act set a series of highly ambitious targets for emissions reductions (e.g., 70% renewable electricity by 2030, 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040, 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050). It also created a Climate Action Council to figure out how to achieve these targets. Task number one for the CAC has been to propound a so-called “Scoping Plan,” containing the details informing us how this will be accomplished."
These guys spend more energy with their silly little meetings than you and I spend going about our daily productive lives. I'll bet that they have fancy offices and fancy limos, all paid for by the taxpayers.