Nope, not if I want a happy home. Must make progress on the pile….
Not quite 90 at 9am but close enough for the rule of 10’s.
Apropos of nothing, anyone notice the use of “gunman” consistently in place of “criminal” “murderer” “thief” or whatever the actual description should be? I don’t think it’s accidental.
Now, time to feed the kids…
n
Before that though, clearing out the spam trap, and spotted this…
“Get your arms soiled!”
I’m guessing at least a couple of rounds of machine translation, meant to be “get your hands dirty”…
n
Gunslinger reposts from elsewhere- worth the read
TL:DR – we’re already in a civil war, here’s the evidence
http://gunslingersjournal.blogspot.com/2018/07/its-civil-war.html
n
hmm, daily mail search returns over 16k hits for gunman, 12k for gunmen, but only 4k-6k for pert, posterior, peachy, and 9k for busty.
I looked at those because they use them soooo much it pokes me in the eye.
Enviable gets 16k too.
murderer, robber, thief, get less than 5k hits
hmmm
n
Nod to astronomy–
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5979297/Moon-turn-stunning-blood-red-Friday-longest-total-lunar-eclipse-century.html
n
Off to the kids, well he is 35, tomorrow for some more changes. His wife wants a closet in the breakfast area changed into a pantry. Thus lots of shelves. Currently have a pantry but that is not big enough I guess. That will be the wife’s project. I am going to have to widen the door on his outdoor shed. Current door is too narrow for the mower as previous owners had a lawn service do the mowing and just used the shed for storage.
Big shed with an upper deck. Lots of storage. Door is only 42 inches, need 46″ for the mower. Plan is to keep the current door and create a new door as part of the current opening by creating a second door that is two feet wide. May even go to three feet depending on the interior structure. Thus double doors. Will also have to build a ramp as the shed is one foot off the ground.
Should be able to accomplish the work in a couple of days heading back Wednesday. Thursday is the 43 year anniversary and wife wants to do something special. Me, it’s just another day. Why women get hung on this stuff is beyond my comprehension skills and probably most of the male population.
Our local daily rag makes it a habit to leave out names of criminals if the name identifies their ethnicity. Unless the bad guy is white or fits an agenda. We have a terrible local paper but I don’t suppose there are many good papers left.
My coffee cup has a line from “Firefly” on it. My kiddo learned to read this year and demanded an explanation for what “I can kill you with my brain” meant and why I’d do such a thing. Conversation evolved into discussion of power, role of government and stuff like that. I find it hard to coach things to six year old level. Usually I give up and just talk and define the words as I go. I’m probably a bad parent.
Sick most of the week, I would hate to have such, ahhh, explosiveness, without indoor plumbing and running water. I am grateful, very grateful, for modern plumbing. Got virtually nothing done this week as a result. Didn’t get the second or third coat of paint on the fascia, certainly did not get the last three windows sanded or painted. Bah. Fall is on its way. Opened the front door this morning to a scattering of gold leaves from the birch across the yard. And rain starting tomorrow.
Kids start back in school on the 16th…. so fall is coming.
Modern plumbing is one of the unsung heroes of our age.
n
Just got done wiring up the re-bar in my generator pad. I figure some is better than none.
108 in the sun and it feels like every degree.
Thank gnu that the RH is only 40% and that I can alternate with shaded work, and indoor work.
n
The eclipse linked above is not visible in the US.
When you order the cement ask the supplier to put fiberglass fibers in the mix. This will stop small cracks and doesn’t add much to the cost. I did this when my driveway was redone, when I poured the pad for my mower shed and when I did the driveway extension.
“Federal Appellate Court Upholds Decision to Block California’s Magazine Surrender Requirement”
https://www.nraila.org/articles/20180720/federal-appellate-court-upholds-decision-to-block-california-s-magazine-surrender-requirement
“Last summer, we reported on the welcome news that a federal court had blocked California’s plan to require owners of “large capacity” magazines to surrender or otherwise rid themselves of their formerly-lawful property. As the judge in that case had put it: “On July 1, 2017, any previously law-abiding person in California who still possesses a firearm magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds will begin their new life of crime.” That was a bridge too far, he decided, and blocked enforcement of the law’s dispossession requirement. California appealed that ruling, and now over a year later a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the lower court’s ruling. The case, Duncan v. Becerra, is supported by both the NRA and the California Rifle & Pistol Association.”
Wow, the California nineth circus came through ! I am shocked, they must feel SCOTUS breathing down their neck.
Modern plumbing is one of the unsung heroes of our age.
Pressurized CLEAN drinkable water at people’s homes is the foundation of civilization.
Went and saw the “Incredibles 2” movie this afternoon at the matinee with the wife. Was fairly good.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/incredibles_2
Do not take any one with seizures to the movie as it has rapid blinking screens in it. There is a warning at the beginning of the movie for a solid minute. The daughter did not go for that reason even she is on anti-seizure medicine.
It is 100F in the shade outside here in the Land of Sugar. We tested the new evaporator in the Expedition and it passed the test. Just hot, hot, hot.
Current load in ERCOT is 71,554 MW. That is simply incredible for a Sunday afternoon. I wonder what Monday is going to look like ? 74,000 MW ? 75,000 MW ?
http://www.ercot.org/
You know, I had been thinking that I made a mistake by putting a three ton a/c in the gameroom addition and moving the master over to it. Nope, the three ton is just right for about 1,000 ft2, especially with the eight floor to ceiling windows. The other 2,500 ft2 is on the “old” five ton a/c which is keeping up barely. Both are 16 SEER units. We run the thermostats at 73 F during the day and 72 F at night.
Normally in the heat of summer, our AC can’t quite keep up. We had freon added last summer, and we haven’t had that problem this year. We leave ours at 76F year round. If that feels hot, we drop to 75, or if we have a house full of people, 74. In the winter, we never go above 76.
In my office, with all the pcs, it’s 82F and with my wet shirt it feels cold.
n
Both are 16 SEER units. We run the thermostats at 73 F during the day and 72 F at night.
I have a 4 ton heat pump for around 1800 sq feet. 16 SEER.* Pier and beam. The dining room and that width through the living room has no insulation in the floor. The rest of the house has wall batts that have fallen onto the chicken wire. Not so great. 2×8 floor joists….
But, the system is set on 79 and my feet are cold/ not warm. 77 at night. It’s 108 outside, was 110 an hour ago. The system cycles, too.
*When I bought the system, PEC had a rebate of $250, I think, for anything 16.5 SEER and up. Yeah, /that/ brand of system was an extra $1000. So I could pay an extra $750 to save exactly how much a month?
Last month’s bill was $97. That’s for everything, including water. I’m on a well.
Last winter’s big bill was about $140 but I did run the pellet stove some and if you crank it up you can burn a 40# bag of pellets a day. At $6/bag. But, when it’s below 20, actually, below 35, it’s a toss up of using the backup heat or burning pellets.
I need to get my butt in gear about the insulation problem.
I have a 4 ton heat pump for around 1800 sq feet. 16 SEER.* Pier and beam. The dining room and that width through the living room has no insulation in the floor. The rest of the house has wall batts that have fallen onto the chicken wire. Not so great. 2×8 floor joists….
Watch out for copperheads when you crawl under there. But, you know that.
If we build a house at the back of our 9 acre office property then we are going to use a pier and beam foundation. Just too easy to raise it up if needful (we will be 500 ft away from the Brazos river via Rabbs Bayou). I will be locating the house at 84 ft above sea level, 8 ft above the 500 year flood plain at my property.
Gunslinger reposts from elsewhere- worth the read
TL:DR – we’re already in a civil war, here’s the evidence
http://gunslingersjournal.blogspot.com/2018/07/its-civil-war.html
“When you hate each other but accept the election results, you have a country. When you stop accepting election results, you have a countdown to a civil war.”
Wow, that is a great summary of the problem. The chances of a good solution to the problem is grim as the adults in that party are leading the crazies. That only leaves shooting them someday. Or, hanging them.
https://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/what-i-saw-at-the-coup/
So, what did I get accomplished today?
Changed the tire on the wheel barrow, in prep for concrete work.
Placed and tied up the rebar for the concrete.
Moved some stuff around outside, but didn’t get rid of anything, in fact added a rolling cart.
Pulled some dead stuff out of the gardens.
Tried to start the gas gennie and failed. I guess I have that maintenance to look forward to.
Raked up some accumulated leaves and bug sprayed around the whole house foundation. (saw a roach in the kitchen, bumped the spraying up a level or six….)
Packed for shipping one ebay sale.
Shot photos for a dozen ebay listings.
Inventoried stuff I bought in the last couple of weeks. Still have more to do.
—
I’m beat and soaked with sweat. And I didn’t even get anything big done.
n
Got called to Jury Duty tomorrow. Was wondering what kind of shirt I should wear.
Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry? (too old for young whippersnapper lawyers?)
Clint Eastwood / Hang ’em High?
Any ideas?
My initials are: SAS
Second Amendment Stu!
I get called fairly often. Several courts draw from the vote pool… Only once did I continue to jury selection, and they filled the jury before they got to me.
If you love law and order, and hate criminal invader scumbags, answering the lawyers’ questions with that in mind will probably get you sent home.
Answering yes to ‘have you ever been a victim of a crime’ is usually enough.
n
Fighting over taxi routes ends in mass murder:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5979149/Gunmen-kill-11-leave-four-fighting-life-Johannesburg.html
Failed state.
n
Failed state.
From a decade ago:
The Death of Johannesburg
Coming soon: The “ethnic cleansing” of SA’s whites.
Added: There is a rumor going around that SA’s farmers are seeking asylum in (wait for it, wait for it) Russia.
Added: There is a rumor going around that SA’s farmers are seeking asylum in (wait for it, wait for it) Russia.
Given a choice, would you stay in SA ? The new leaders of SA will start that ethnic cleansing very soon. And there is another rumor that the SA whites are going to Australia.
You know, when the ethnic cleansing starts in SA, the whites will be blamed for it first. Then the world will realize what is going on and say, “tut, tut, they had it coming”.
I wonder if Europe will realize that they are watching a preview of what is coming for them ?
(almost) No one ever believes it will really happen to them.
Look at Germany pre-Holocaust. Or Rhodesia.
Why are there any white farmers LEFT in SA? Any reasonable person could see it coming…
n
(and what does that say about us?)
If anyone is looking at new AC, the abbreviation to have in mind is: “VFD” (a.k.a. variable frequency drive). VFD on the compressor gives variable capacity. Most fixed speed units are over sized for all but the extreme conditions. The installer (or engineer on a commercial job) tends to do this to avoid complaints on the really hot days (and maybe higher commission / less risk of legal issues?). The issue is that your wet bulb can get out of control (momentary HVAC geek talk).
In other words, on a relatively hot and humid day, the system cycles at the set point (the dry bulb set point) but things feel clammy. The dew point is too high (a.k.a, relative humidity, general wet misery, wet skin, mold, etc.).
Before VFD for compressors was reasonable financially, hot gas re-heat was often done in commercial settings (still is). This is not an ideal situation, the evaporator does more cooling than needed and compressor discharge heat is used to re-heat the air entering the space to maintain the dry bulb setting. It works but is not ideal. For residential, you are on your own. I don’t know of any solution other than install the right capacity for your application (much easier said than done).
VFD on the indoor fan (and outdoor fan) is also technology that has an increasingly good payback period.
Do not want to turn this into a commercial add. Just some general input (think
VFD).
Note: Commercial units have multiple compressors, staging, and unloading so they have done load matching to some extent for years, but even so, they are moving more and more to VFD (the technology has advanced quickly the last few years). The purpose of the above is focused on residential. If I was in the market for a new HVAC system…
.
Not a rumour. A fact. WA to be more precise. Hmmm, Western Australia. Right?
I had a productive but very busy and tiring few days. The end is in sight for my contract in Charlotte so I started looking for a new gig two weeks ago. Thursday night I drove to upstate NY for a Friday interview, then took care of a bunch more meetings, errands, and spending time with Short Stuff before driving back Saturday night.
In short, I got two job offers Friday afternoon, and probably another but we were playing phone tag and never managed to speak. I’m not going to be arrested because of bureaucratic incompetence or malice. I had a few face-to-face words with the illustrator of my children’s book and with any luck she’ll stop screwing around and actually finish the contracted work and I’ll be able to publish the blasted thing. My teeth are in good shape. And my daughter was delighted to see me after four months.
“And my daughter was delighted to see me after four months. ”
Jeez man, that’s a long time…
n
Coming soon: The “ethnic cleansing” of SA’s whites.
Added: There is a rumor going around that SA’s farmers are seeking asylum in (wait for it, wait for it) Russia.
Russia is where the diaspora keeps their nukes. 🙂
I’ve met SA expats in Austin. They’re very smart, tough, and involved in small weapons manufacturing/customization. Any attempt at genocide of the white community won’t go down like Rhodesia.
They are picking them off one at a time.
Eventually, in a war of attrition, the side with the higher tolerance for atrocity and hardship will win. The white SA are outnumbered, and desire a life that is more than what their enemies are happy with.
I’ve worked for SA expats, and had a SA roommate. All I can say is, get out and contribute to a place that values you.
n
If anyone is looking at new AC, the abbreviation to have in mind is: “VFD” (a.k.a. variable frequency drive). VFD on the compressor gives variable capacity. Most fixed speed units are over sized for all but the extreme conditions. The installer (or engineer on a commercial job) tends to do this to avoid complaints on the really hot days (and maybe higher commission / less risk of legal issues?). The issue is that your wet bulb can get out of control (momentary HVAC geek talk).
Both of my 16 SEER units have two speed compressors. I have no idea if both speeds of the compressor are being used or if they just jump immediately to second gear. I have to admit that most of the time, I would like to run the 3 ton in the master and game in first gear. I sit at my desk in the game room and shiver.
And my daughter was delighted to see me after four months.
Dude. And there is a person conspicuously missing from that statement.
If anyone is looking at new AC, the abbreviation to have in mind is: “VFD” (a.k.a. variable frequency drive). VFD on the compressor gives variable capacity.
When we replaced our downstairs unit last year, all the variable speed AC units we looked into required the proprietary communication protocols between the thermostat and the unit in the attic, and you’re stuck with whatever thermostats the manufacturers offer.
Some of those thermostats leave a *LOT* to be desired … cough … Nexia ComfortLink sucks … cough.
VFD on the compressor gives variable capacity.
VFD was a few years away when I bought my system. I have a variable speed blower, the compressor is two speed. Three speed was an extra grand. Goodman brand. Or change a few labels and call it Amana. The air handler, compressor, and t-stat use something called ComfortNet. It just works. No complaints. No wi-fi nonsense involved.
The compressor runs on low most of the time.
unit in the attic
I thought about putting it in the attic just to gain the closet space. Laying down. Decided not because if it breaks, then what? Plus the whole mess of ducting seemed too complicated. Better to get rid of some stuff and not need the extra closet.
I sit at my desk in the game room and shiver.
Gain a lot of weight, aka Mother Nature’s insulation package? Open a window? Wear a sweater? Bump the t-stat up a few notches?
Gain a lot of weight, aka Mother Nature’s insulation package? Open a window? Wear a sweater? Bump the t-stat up a few notches?
Am down 30 lbs from 15 years ago and desperately want to stay that way. No opening windows here in the Houston swamp, too freaking humid. The wife likes it cold and wears a blanket. I turn the thermostat from 72 to 75.
The wife likes it cold and wears a blanket.
Sounds like my Mom. Sits (well, did) outside to smoke wearing a sweater. And it’s 90F in the shade. But would sit in the living room watching TV where it is 75 and say she’s hot.
Just a thought…. I don’t know how fancy your t-stat is, but… mine has the option to “calibrate” the temp and humidity display. That is, showing it set at 75 would actually be 78.
I didn’t do that here. I just set the limits as to how cool or warm the system could be set. Yeah, 72 max on heat, 75 min on cool. (I mean really? I can set the a/c down to 45F? What!!! )
Just a thought…. I don’t know how fancy your t-stat is, but… mine has the option to “calibrate” the temp and humidity display. That is, showing it set at 75 would actually be 78.
Nope, I’ve got a cheap Honeywell digital. It knows just enough to shift the compressor into second gear.
Yah. Skype helps.
Funny you should mention that… My wife would just as soon I not go back. Continue to send money, of course; I’ve been living like a pauper and sending 6/7 of my after-tax pay to the family account. She thinks that should continue, and that I should continue to live too far away to see the kid because that way there are no arguments about raising her.