Cool and hopefully dry. Yesterday actually got nice at my house, although other parts of Houston got a good soaking.
I was pretty well sidelined by my continuing knee issue yesterday. And I had some nausea and gastro-intestinal distress brought on by poor dining choices, or, the constant knee pain. Or embrace the power of ‘and’…
In any case, I didn’t go out, and I didn’t crawl around on my knees, and I didn’t lift anything heavy. My brain was not fully engaged in much either. Every time I start making progress, something knocks me off track.
So today I’m forcing the issue. I have an appointment to drop off more auction items. I WILL get out and do that, as long as it’s not raining. I’ve only got the pickup truck, so I can’t really do it if it’s bucketing down.
I did do the tiniest bit of moving and sorting and organizing.
Later daughter one and I worked the heavy bag for a bit and had a nice chat. Then we watched some Miami Beach chick fights so she could see what that looks like ‘for realz’. She made the obvious observation. There MUST be some video of white ‘youths’ fighting and rioting on Spring Break somewhere, right? They’re just being suppressed by the white privilege police, right?
And then I went to bed early. I’ve been trying to get back on a more ‘normal’ schedule, but between the time change and spring break laziness, I have been up too late, and in bed too long.
I’m looking at the news and it occurred to me… Biden cancelling the Cherry Blossom viewing and closing monuments keeps tourists from seeing the fence and standing army. It keeps them from posting pictures for others to see. When was the last time you saw a picture of the fence or the NG on duty? They are both still there…
Biden doesn’t want pictures of the holding facilities near the border. He* knows how bad it looks since they used similar images against Trump. So we don’t see any.
I have to go to crowd sourced news to see video of the riotous crowds in Miami Beach. The protected class is doing what it so often does, and that doesn’t fit the narrative. Now that two of them drugged and raped a white girl, leading to her death- that is making the tabloid press at least. I expect all kinds of arm waving and then it ends up spun as a caution to stay home in these perilous times.
Various parts of Europe are supposedly hip deep in new china flu cases, but where are the pictures of overwhelmed hospitals?
Is Portland still having nightly troubles? What’s the status of the takeover at the “Red House” where all those young white kids decided to help those poor black folks with their eviction problem?
How the heck did it become commonplace for our big metro areas and even our secondary and tertiary cities to be 1/3 latino? Like gun ownership, the press keeps repeating the same number, as if nothing has changed, but people still keep buying guns, people still keep pouring over the borders. “10M illegals” my flabby @ss. When we’ve got 15000 unaccompanied minors in custody in the space of months? When there are charter bus lines rolling from the border towns to ‘up north’ every day? When there is a remittance store on every block? When the billboards are in spanish?
What’s in common with these things and so many more? “Nothing to see here, move along….” and then the attention moves along, and the problem fades away. What other things are we just not even aware of because no one is showing it? What else is being downplayed, sidestepped, diminished, and when will it ‘come out of nowhere’ to suddenly bite us in the @ss?
Something will, you can count on that. We got two mass shootings right on schedule…
Keep stacking.
n
*By Biden I of course mean “Team Biden” and not the empty skinsuit who shuffles on and off stage when prodded. He should talk to Hillarity’s team of satanists, necromancers, and resurrectionists and find out what they’re using. He’s always been an ‘also ran’ second stringer though, never could get ‘the good stuff’.
[zika, Acute flaccid myelitis, ebola – all mysteriously NOT in the news]
“In the wake of Florida Governor DiSantis’s irresponsible opening up of the state to tourism and cancellation of mask mandates, we have at least one death directly linked to the parties on Florida’s beaches.”
*By Biden I of course mean “Team Biden” and not the empty skinsuit who shuffles on and off stage when prodded. He should talk to Hillarity’s team of satanists, necromancers, and resurrectionists and find out what they’re using. He’s always been an ‘also ran’ second stringer though, never could get ‘the good stuff’.
*Dr.* Jill Biden, Medicine Woman (TM) keeps the zombie moving.
Biden’s wife fought and lost a bitter divorce case over ownership of one of the most successful college bars in the country. She won’t go quietly when they decide to pull the plug … on Plugs.
“In the wake of Florida Governor DiSantis’s irresponsible opening up of the state to tourism and cancellation of mask mandates, we have at least one death directly linked to the parties on Florida’s beaches.”
DeSantis was at the Buc-ee’s opening in Daytona Beach the other day, and if you look at amateur video of the event, lots of people crowded him for selfies.
The Governor got *very* lucky, but, with half the state, the media, and establishment Florida Republicans against him, he had nothing to lose opening up the state. A continued lockdown would have cost him reelection regardless of numbers.
Where we went in Florida last week didn’t look much different than Austin in terms of masking. And like Austin, bars were the places where people said “f*ck it”.
Also, when you see coverage of the problems with the urban yout’s in Florida, keep in mind that this is around when Andrew Gillum’s career and Dem chances to retake the Governor’s Mansion next year melted down in a hotel room in … Miami Beach!
Some thoughts, from a few years ago, on why the West moved forward when other cultures chose not to:
https://pecancorner.blogspot.com/2012/02/information-is-holy-musings-on-burned.html
Short version: Progress cannot come to cultures that do not believe “Information is holy” and that the ordinary individual should have access to it.
AFM aka The New Polio arrived ‘coincidentally’ with the last “unaccompanied children” who were carried all around the country by the Obama Admin, and has been paralyzing American actual children ever since …. 200 of them every two years. The CDC still isn’t certain which germ causes it. Even the “conservative” media won’t talk about it. So thanks for bringing it up. The WuFlu shutdown last year may have saved a bunch of kids from it, as it has been appearing in even numbered years.
We like Smithfield Smoked Picnic for a bone-in ham, but for absolute consistency of flavor, eaten cold or prepared, Hormel Cure 81 is what we buy now. Always perfect.
And in the same vein, who has “war with Russia” on their scorecard for this or next year?
and there is NATO member Turkey, whose economy is in the toilet…
[easy money and projects to sop it up, sounds familiar….]
n
Also, when you see coverage of the problems with the urban yout’s in Florida, keep in mind that this is around the point in 2020 when Andrew Gillum’s career and Dem chances to retake the Governor’s Mansion next year melted down in a hotel room in … Miami Beach!
My bad. I was interrupted by a work email.
Woke up about 4:30 am my time, few minutes ago. House is very hot. Checked thermostat, set to 65, actual is 78. Went downstairs, set to 65, actual is 65, feels normal.
Back upstairs, feel hot water baseboards, scorching hot.
Yikes
Back downstairs to the Triangletube Prestige with Excellence water boiler, about 10 years old – supplies domestic hot water on demand and the hot water for our baseboard heat. All the temps are set to what they were last week, no errors flashing.
Its about 20 Fahrenheit outside. Popped open a door and some windows. Sent dogs outside to cool off, sent awake miserable child downstairs to finish night on the couch downstairs. Husband woke, thought perhaps zone valve? something like that, might be faulty.
Having a coffee and researching. Don’t know what a faulty thermostat on the wall would look like. Maybe normal except that doing what is going on now? Outside my bailiwick. Setting the heat to ‘off’ at the thermostat has resulted in a lukewarm to the touch baseboard heat. That suggests the zone valve is the issue.
Many more chicks have hatched. Never had a hatch take so many days to complete, never set so many eggs before. There’s a weak chick in the incubator, and yet another pipped. About 15 of 41 have not hatched or pipped.
@jenny, if the tstat is the old style mechanical one, you should be able to hear it click when you move the setpoint past the existing temp. And presumably you could hear or feel the valve activate when someone else moved the tstat set point past the temp.
The valve might have some debris in it, or could be not closing fully, but it sounds like it did close most of the way. The luke warm could be residual heat, or leakage.
If the valve closes when you turn off the switch though that says to me the valve is working, just not being controlled properly, ie- the tstat has an issue.
If it’s hot at the baseboard, that at least means you have heat! You can manage the temp manually if needed until you can get it figured out.
n
Actually, I think I’m wrong about that. If the zone valve were stuck in the open position, it would not change regardless of the thermostat, right? The baseboards would have remained scorchingly hot, and the temp of the upstairs zone would not have cooled, because a stuck open zone valve would have continued to send hot water coursing through the pipes ignoring the thermostat.
So maybe it’s a bad thermostat.
Thermostat is a Honeywell basic digital model. I popped it off the wall, and am no wiser. No wires for me to poke, I replaced the batteries because I could, with no appreciable change in behavior. House has cooled to 74 with the thermostat set to heat = off, and baseboards remain lukewarm to touch.
Saw this on a YouTube channel named Practical Engineering about what happened in Texas in February with the power outages. Give it a watch and let me know what you think. Personally, I wasn’t aware of the whole issue with maintaining AC at 60Hz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08mwXICY4JM
And just yesterday, The White House issued the following memo to all Feds: The Biden Administration will from now forward be referred to as The Biden-Harris Administration.
If that doesn’t set plugs up for a strategic perma-lid ™ nothing does.
You can’t make this shit up. plugs is on his way out.
And just yesterday, The White House issued the following memo to all Feds: The Biden Administration will from now forward be referred to as The Biden-Harris Administration.
If that doesn’t set plugs up for a strategic perma-lid ™ nothing does.
You can’t make this shit up. plugs is on his way out.
Move Harris up and then the tiebreaker vote is gone from the Senate until a new VP is confirmed … by the Senate. As things currently stand, that chair could be empty for a while.
The Elders will make sure Mittens doesn’t get any ideas about statesmanship since the next Supreme Court vacancy could be the “Roe” seat held by Breyer.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9395039/Video-captures-cops-final-moment-murdered-cartel-assassins-Mexico.html
there is video. Do not let yourself get pinned down unless help is 30 seconds away. I believe US doctrine is to aggressively move forward when ambushed. Somewhere in between counter attacking and waiting for them to get you is probably the right answer…
Coming to the US… in 3,2,….
n
Every gun shop in the US is about to be sold out of assault rifles and high capacity magazines.
Every gun shop in the US is about to be sold out of assault rifles and high capacity magazines.
We noted last night that the national feed provided to the Faux News stations omits the Boulder gunman’s name, religion, and national origin. The only pictures of the individual under arrest are from where he is being frogmarched shirtless across the parking lot, making you think he is some kind of domestic dirtball.
Every gun shop in the US is about to be sold out of assault rifles and high capacity magazines.
We noted last night that the national feed provided to the Faux News stations omits the Boulder gunman’s name, religion, and national origin. The only pictures of the individual under arrest are from where he is being frogmarched shirtless across the parking lot, making the viewer think he is some kind of domestic dirtball.
Ran over to the hardware store when they opened at 6 am and bought a Honeywell T3 5-2 Day Programmable Thermostat with 2H/2C Multistage Heating and Cooling (because it was available, not wifi, and compatible with two wires). Got it installed. I’ve opened several doors and windows to dump the excess heat. Hope this fixes it. I’d rather spend $50 than $500, certainly!
Ever since Biden chose Harris for the impending VP slot my stance has not changed.
The democrats really wanted Harris. But she was unelectable by any stretch of imagination and election trickery. Harris could not even make it through the primary. So promote Biden who is senile and has one foot in the grave. Once Biden is elected let Harris pull the strings (even grease the boarding steps on AF1). Biden will be removed from office by becoming senile and Pelosi using the 25th amendment to oust Biden. Or Biden dies in office on the Hillary plan. Then Harris becomes president and the democrats have completed their ultimate goal.
Thus the US will have a president that was never really elected, whom no one except the Pelosi machine wanted in office. A person that could possibly serve for 10 years if Biden croaks at the two year mark.
Harris will destroy the US in an attempt to make everything in her image. Her personal idea of a nation that has her set up as the ultimate dictator. A black, female president, the goal of the liberal democrat. Most of whom will quickly regret their choice but too late to reverse the damage.
“Best Science Fiction Books with Numbers in the Title” by Dan Livingston
https://best-sci-fi-books.com/best-science-fiction-books-with-numbers-in-the-title/
Out of the 17, I have read “I Am Number Four”, “The 5th Wave”, the awesome “Ready Player One”, “1984”, “2001: A Space Odyssey”, and “Fahrenheit 451”. I do have “The Twelve” in my SBR (strategic book reserve).
I have seen the movie versions of “I Am Number Four”, “The 5th Wave”, “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”, the awesome “Ready Player One”, and the amazing “2001: A Space Odyssey”.
LOL! The SJWs already labeled her “Asian American” to appease AA Dumbo whining. Good luck with that.
Doing taxes (means get all the paper and send it to the CPA). The military pay site now says “Your browser (Safari on Mac) is not supported. Us Chrome, FF or Edge to get full capabilities.” Is it something Apple did (or didn’t do).
Thermostats are usually quite reliable and rarely fail, especially Honeywell brand. I have seen thermostats that are 70 years old still working properly. Of course they were entirely mechanical with a bi-metal strip and a simple mercury switch.
Regardless, it is probably a good idea to have an updated programmable thermostat. Start with the cheap parts before moving on with the problem. The thermostat will not be a wasted purchase.
I thought Harris identified as African American. I guess she swings whatever direction is needed to further her plans. I can’t wait until she suddenly stands to pee and can write her name in the snow.
Not happening. Russia is not strong enough to take on the EU, which would mean taking on NATO, which (yes) would drag in the US. As for being unhappy with the EU, big surprise. Putin has been employing a “divide” strategy to try and keep the EU confused. Ideally, they would love both the EU and NATO to break up, giving them a shot at wars of occupation around the Russian periphery. If you are hearing complaints, then the strategy isn’t working as well as Putin and Lavrov would like, and the costs must be more than the benefits. In the meantime, Russia is trying to pick-off weak neighbors (first Georgia, then Ukraine) to rebuild the Russian (USSR) empire. They are eyeing the small Baltic countries as the next target and have been arming Kaliningrad to the teeth in preparation. There are NATO contingents (including Canadian troops) as tripwires in each country and that does not please Putin. For now, all he can do is put nerve gas in underwear and whine.
Referring to people as “Asian” always seem stupid to me. It’s a huge continent. Russians are Asian. Iranians are Asian. Indians are Asian. Chinese are Asian. Absurd! What most people really mean when they say “Asian American” is “Southeast Asian American” but that’s too much of a mouthful. I don’t think the average person of Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese, or other southeast Asia descent is going to consider Kamala an “Asian American.” To them she’ll be either black or Indian, but never “Asian.”
As with most politicians she is whatever her party needs her to be and whatever puts her and keeps her in office.
There’s probably no rhyme or reason for it. Safari and Chrome are both Webkit browsers. So, why Chrome would be okay but not Safari seems odd.
Note: While the movie of Ready Player One is very good, it is also very different from the excellent book. This was necessary as the book was mostly first person narrative and impossible to translate well into a third person video environment.
Note 2: I was very disappointed by the sequel Ready Player Two
Thus the US will have a president that was never really elected, whom no one except the Pelosi machine wanted in office. A person that could possibly serve for 10 years if Biden croaks at the two year mark.
Oregon was the site of the rehearsal run seven years ago. Kate Brown was unelectable but Kitzhaber was facing scandal with his girlfriend’s involvement in the Cover Oregon debacle.
Kitzhaber won reelection then promptly resigned after inauguration.
‘The SJWs already labeled her “Asian American”’
I thought Harris identified as African American. I guess she swings whatever direction is needed to further her plans. I can’t wait until she suddenly stands to pee and can write her name in the snow.
Labeling Harris “Asian American” is catering to the Subcontinent voter without identifying her true heritage on her father’s side, which is a problem with Chinese voters for now.
Subcontinent is an increasingly powerful political force around my area of Austin. HP Enterprise locally is so heavy with H1Bs that the movie theater closest to the company’s local campus runs Bollywood on the weekend.
Such individual universally hated outside of the Portland area, and especially east of the Cascade mountains. Kate Brown has set herself up as an incompetent dictator. As a former Oregon resident I no longer consider Oregon a state to which I would ever return. Because of Kate Brown and her liberal and draconian policies. Kate Brown even faced a recall which was squashed by her minions on technicalities on the recall petitions.
I’ll take Aliens in 2021 up a few notches.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/ufo-theories-pentagon-chief-report
“Elizondo stopped short of concluding that UFOs could be alien technology when discussing the third and final theory.
“If it’s not ours and it’s not [another country] well, then it’s someone or something else.”
Well Duh !
Thermostats and modernity. The old bi-metal mercury thermostats are basically unkillable. Unless you hit them with a hammer, it is nearly impossible for them to stop working. Modern thermostats, with all their programmability, tend to be cheap electronisch and definitely do break. They also usually need batteries, and are a PITA to actually program, because the interfaces were designed by nitwits.
I honestly haven’t understood the heating system in our new house. The thermostats feel and sound like the mercury-switch variety. Yet the heating system (heat-pump with floor heating) is supposed to adapt automatically to night and day, to the availability of solar power, etc.. How, exactly, if the room thermostats only send on/off signals? This is not described in any manual that I can find. And the heat-pump itself is a white-label system showing only the brand of the heating installer. Hmmm…
Nah, not going to happen. There is absolutely no reason, not even a possible excuse for such a war from the US side. From the Russian side, Putin is currently laughing at the Biden administration – he’s just going to let the circus continue.
On a very related note: the recent speech by the new US Secretary of State was utterly tone-deaf. The Biden administration disapproves of the new Russion-German pipeline, so much so that he threatens sanctions for everyone involved? Whatever he says, the real reason is clear: the US wants to sell tankers full of natural gas to Germany. Which makes zero sense compared to a direct pipeline to the gas fields.
For those who don’t know, the reason the pipeline is being built is not only to increase capacity, but also to provide an alternative to the existing pipeline. The existing pipeline passes through the Ukraine, which has been known to tap it, and to hold the pipeline hostage for political reasons.
Anyway, Germany will not back down on the pipeline. Even if the US had genuine concerns, telling Germany to abandon the project (which is very nearly finished) violates that fundamental principle: never give an order that you know will not be obeyed.
“…every option will be explored to prevent the completion of the project.”
Seriously, seriously tone deaf. How to piss off your friends.
DeSantis was at the Buc-ee’s opening in Daytona Beach the other day, and if you look at amateur video of the event, lots of people crowded him for selfies.
I was at the Wharton, Texas Buccees last Friday. There must have been a thousand people in there, I was having to say excuse me a lot to get through the place.
‘The military pay site now says “Your browser (Safari on Mac) is not supported. Use Chrome, FF or Edge to get full capabilities.” Is it something Apple did (or didn’t do).’
There’s probably no rhyme or reason for it. Safari and Chrome are both Webkit browsers. So, why Chrome would be okay but not Safari seems odd.
Apple has some people in the core development group who fancy themselves to be crypto experts so they tend to reinvent the wheel rather than pull code off the shelf.
I’m sure the arrogance extends to UI development as well.
DeSantis was at the Buc-ee’s opening in Daytona Beach the other day, and if you look at amateur video of the event, lots of people crowded him for selfies.
I was at the Wharton, Texas Buccees last Friday. There must have been a thousand people in there, I was having to say excuse me a lot to get through the place.
Typical for Buc-ee’s on a big travel weekend. Probably lots of people heading to/from Corpus Christi for Spring Break.
Returning from Florida on 4th of July weekend last year, we hit Stuckey’s in Baytown instead of Buc-ee’s. The Alabama/Pensacola Buc-ee’s was the only place on the trip where I worried about being exposed to the Wuxu Flu when we stopped earlier that morning.
According to friends, Buc-ee’s had to build overflow parking at Pensacola within the past 7-8 months since we went.
St. Augustine, FL Buc-ee’s is already the second busiest in the chain.
Saw this on a YouTube channel named Practical Engineering about what happened in Texas in February with the power outages. Give it a watch and let me know what you think. Personally, I wasn’t aware of the whole issue with maintaining AC at 60Hz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08mwXICY4JM
I lived this for eight years when I worked for TESCO / TU Electric / TXU in the 1980s. People do not understand that those electrons coming out the wall were made just a moment ago and traveled to you at the speed of light.
And generation must match demand, otherwise the steam turbines start speeding up or slowing down. Very bad thing. We used to keep the frequency in Texas at 59.95 hz to 60.05 hz. No idea what they are doing now.
Every gun shop in the US is about to be sold out of assault rifles and high capacity magazines.
Are there any assault rifles and high capacity magazine left in the gun stores ?
Someone help me understand this…
“China flu” is racist and caused anti-asian hate.
The semi-technical article I read on vaccines refers to the “Wuhan baseline” – not racist.
There’s a UK variant that is more deadly – not racist.
There’s a South African variant that is more deadly – not racist.
It’s widely acknowledged that the virus originated in China – not racist.
Doesn’t make sense to me.
The military pay site now says “Your browser (Safari on Mac) is not supported. Use Chrome, FF or Edge to get full capabilities.” Is it something Apple did (or didn’t do).
There’s probably no rhyme or reason for it. Safari and Chrome are both Webkit browsers. So, why Chrome would be okay but not Safari seems odd.
Probably some built in control in Safari does not act properly and they do not care to supply a fix for it. Personalizing websites for specific browsers has become a lot of work for the “put it in the cloud” crowd.
For those who don’t know, the reason the pipeline is being built is not only to increase capacity, but also to provide an alternative to the existing pipeline. The existing pipeline passes through the Ukraine, which has been known to tap it, and to hold the pipeline hostage for political reasons.
Tap it, my foot ! The Ukranians take half of the natural gas from the pipeline. They were removing all of the liquid hydrocarbons (propane, butane) but they froze the plate fin heat exchanger (too much water in the gas) and wrecked the turbo expander. They have rebuilt the system at least once that I know of. They ran a fertilizer plant for several years from the natural gas and were selling freighters full of fertilizer to the world market.
My replacement tub drain hose on our 7 ? 8 ? year old LG clothes washer has worked perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXSADAQ/?tag=ttgnet-20
I added a screw gear clamp to each end of the hose to the given finger squeeze clamp. Just in case.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XAK7NE8/?tag=ttgnet-20
We have gone through about ten washings now with zero leaks. I did make sure that the arrow on the hose pointed up like the original hose.
I may know someone *cough* that finally got off their butt and ordered an AR15 complete lower today from Palmetto state Armory. Also ordered 6 30 round mags from Midway USA and some .556 at around 86 cents a round. Other AR parts will get ordered next month.
LMFAO!
The scumbags at The Washington Post wrote an article “Take it easy on plugs tomorrow at his first press conference”. I think I will tune in over the innertubes just to see how well he does. Will he pass over Faux News which is asking hard questions of Psaki? There could be yelling, malarky, c’mon man, and push up contests involved. I wonder if scripted questions are already out with teleprompter answers in the queue?
And this:
LOL! When “circle back” doesn’t work, just plead ignorance. She really needs to get a playbook together and stop looking like an ass on the podium.
Ok, I was being kind. Plus, you know a lot more about all this than I do, since it’s your bailiwick.
Anyway, bypassing the Ukraine is a huge motivation. And the new pipeline is nearly complete. Expecting Germany and Russia to stop construction is just nuts.
Apple has some people in the core development group who fancy themselves to be crypto experts so they tend to reinvent the wheel rather than pull code off the shelf.
I’m sure the arrogance extends to UI development as well.
Ah, there’s the A word, Arrogance. I used Macs at the worksite many years ago. Had my share of success and problems, like any other product. Talked to an Apple sales engineering rep about a problem I had with a brand new machine. Rather than trying to help me troubleshoot, he immediately tried to blame the problems on me. After attempting to be polite and cooperative, I suggested that if the product had been an automobile, I would have painted lemons on it and parked it outside the manufacturer’s headquarters. Thus ended our call. I rejected the machine as defective, using our purchasing system. Saved me lots of grief. The replacement was OK.
I used to try to help “little old ladies” with their computer problems. Some of these people chose Macs because they thought they wouldn’t have to learn anything. I tried to help them, but gave up. I found someone who loves Macs, is much more capable and tolerant than I am, and who likes to help. Unlike me, he charges by the hour. Win-win. He does have an attitude, and lectures his clients that any computer system is very complex, and any seller who says it isn’t doesn’t have their customers’ satisfaction in mind. They need to be serious about learning and practicing. Refreshing. I used to say some of this, but no one believed me. I must have a bad attitude.
Tap it, my foot ! The Ukranians take half of the natural gas from the pipeline.
I have known some families who came here from the Ukraine. Smart people. Smart out of necessity, but still wonderful. Just never get on their bad side!
“The Democrats propose a bill to kill the military industrial complex”
https://gunfreezone.net/the-democrats-propose-a-bill-to-kill-the-military-industrial-complex/
“BREAKING: New Democrat bill would ban Americans from holding security clearance if they attended MAGA events”
I am fairly sure that such a law would be unconstitutional.
Anyway, bypassing the Ukraine is a huge motivation. And the new pipeline is nearly complete. Expecting Germany and Russia to stop construction is just nuts.
I am continuously amazed that the USA tries to tell other people what to do. None of our business !
My son maintains that the current war in Syria is all about them selling their oil in non-dollar denominated currency. If so, we may have some tough days coming.
Calling it the Chinese Communist Disease is bad because it’s not specific enough. A lot of viruses come out of Commie China, but worse is the money and (invariably failing) diseased ideas coming from there.
“9th Circus goes after concealed carry. This might go to SCOTUS”
https://gunfreezone.net/9th-circus-goes-after-concealed-carry-this-might-go-to-scotus/
Here is the decision.
http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2021/03/24/12-17808.pdf
“Of course the 9th Circuit Court, aka the 9th Circus voted against concealed carry.”
“Here’s the problem, the 7th Circuit came to the opposite conclusion in Moore v. Madigan.”
“We have two Circuit Court decisions in conflict.”
“I think SCOTUS might have to get involved in this.”
I have a dog in this fight as I concealed carry.
@Lynn: re Syria, that’s as good an explanation as any. Certainly I have never understood US involvement there. Assad is a slimeball, sure, but that’s hardly a reason to destroy the whole country.
I skimmed part of the judgement, starting at the 2nd amendment part. It’s a history paper with a really long explanation that basically says “kings didn’t allow people to carry weapons so we won’t either”.
What do I know but I thought all that king stuff is irrelevant over here. The 2nd amendment is the law, not English kings.
Geez,
Heath and Human Services asks Pentagon to house migrant children at two Texas military bases
I can’t wait to hear what the SecDef and Chief, Joint Chief of Staff will say. I remember patrolling Fort McCoy, WI in my OH-58 Kiowa when Cuba sent us their criminals and they were housed there. That was wrong and this is wrong.
Unless soldiers are locked and loaded, concertina wire around the crimmigrants with a mined 100m death zone. Airdrop soy rations in. Offer free rides in boxcars back to Mexico.
What will SCOTUS do? Punt, or finally uphold the Constitution.
For the grins I tried using a couple of antenna amps I have. One did nothing, no surprise as it’s rated for (mumble frequencies) channels 2 through 13. The other is an Archer UHF / VHF / FM with variable gain…. you can buy one on eBay for $20. I think I paid $18 for new.
Both get warm. Both seem useless. Go figure, they’ve been in the big box o’ wiring for a while. 1993 counts as a while, yes? And perhaps for some reason digital TV amplifies differently than analog.
I ordered this from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084YQX5Q6?tag=ttgnet-20. Made in Utah of all places. Yeah, sure. It’s worth $30 to try for a better signal. Cheaper than messing with a new and taller mast. Taller to the edge of needing guy wires.
It’s out for delivery. Eight stops away. ? Maybe it will come to the house and not be dropped off at the gate… because it looks like we are about to have some rain.
Punt of course.
The scumbags at The Washington Post wrote an article “Take it easy on plugs tomorrow at his first press conference”. I think I will tune in over the innertubes just to see how well he does. Will he pass over Faux News which is asking hard questions of Psaki? There could be yelling, malarky, c’mon man, and push up contests involved. I wonder if scripted questions are already out with teleprompter answers in the queue?
The White House solicited questions in advance. They haven’t made a secret about how the press conference will work.
My son maintains that the current war in Syria is all about them selling their oil in non-dollar denominated currency. If so, we may have some tough days coming.
The US wants the Russian Navy kicked out of their Syrian base on the Mediterranean. Tartus?
Plus, I think Assad’s history bugs a lot of people in DC who weren’t gifted ophthalmic surgeons in another life.
This. Why should it be any other way? What part of the word “illegal” do people not understand? Same for the African illegals coming to Europe. Turn them away. If they get in somehow, send them back. This is not difficult to understand.
You will have to count me as one of the people. Electrons travelling through copper at the speed of light? You sure?!
I say that because if they were honest and had balls they would rule that every gun related law and rule void. “Shall not be infringed” is simple enough for a half bright 4th grade kid to understand.
“not even a possible excuse for such a war from the US side”
–sorry, I was vague. I didn’t mean Russia vs the US, I meant a Russian war of acquisition or a Russian / US proxy war like the good old days.
” I used to say some of this, but no one believed me.”
— you weren’t costing them money. They considered it ‘free advice’. They PAID for the other abuse (or maybe “No, it’s just part of the service.”)
@ITguy, you’ll need a complete upper too… I tried to piecemeal one together but it was a lot cheaper to go with the PSA weekly deal, and in the current environment, it’ll be even harder. The bonus is that the upper isn’t a firearm and can ship directly to your house. and don’t forget standard capacity mags, they’ve been very reasonable with brand names around $15 or less. That is sure to change.
n
AND ARMOR PEOPLE before it’s too late.
n
I’m sure the arrogance extends to
UIALL development as well.Fixed it for you.
TN is on the verge of passing a law that allows concealed and open carry without any license or permit. Passed the senate, now on to the house. If it passes there the governor has stated he will sign the bill.
Joint Base San Antonio is what is formerly known as Kelly Air Force Base I believe. The major reason that kept Henry B. Gonzales, a worthless piece of congressional scum (but I repeat myself) that continued to get elected as long as he kept KAFB alive.
Years ago when people got evacuated from New Orleans many were housed on that base. My MIL and her church got involved with helping to feed the people. The church made sandwiches, PB&J, Bologna and some other varieties. The people refused the sandwiches and wanted something better. Hundreds of sandwiches were thrown away because those leaches from New Orleans (most of whom could easily hide in shadows as long as they kept their mouths shut) thought, and demanded better. I don’t expect the immigrants to be much better.
And speaking of MIL, she is going downhill fast. Is now in hospice and may be transferred to advanced nursing care in the next few days. Wife is going to SA on the 10th and there is some question of the MIL lasting that long. Her last doctor visit she was told she probably only had a couple of months. Hearing that news she suddenly lost more ability to take care of herself, a mental decline more than anything. Every day is some new adventure with the MIL making the situation much worse. Either by refusing to accept the situation, or asking my wife to contact someone to do something for MIL, then MIL going and doing whatever her own way.
I stay out of everything as much as can. Wife just gets mad when I make a suggestion, or offer an alternative. Thus I am staying home until the demise of MIL. At which point the fun begins in regards to the estate and the money. Which I really want to stay as far away as possible. The majority of the funds go to my wife specified in the will. A few certificates to the MIL’s grandkids with my son getting the biggest CD. That will not go over well. Then wife’s brother (BIL) gets a CD for $77K with the wife getting the remainder which is significantly larger. BIL and his wife will not take kindly to that split and I expect some butt hurt.
Mostly because the wife and I are considered well off. The BIL’s wife made a statement once to the wife of “we don’t have money to stay in hotels like you do”. So when the MIL enters the final stage of life, I expect a battle of some kind. A battle in which I want no involvement.
Sign up for the PSA enewsletter and sale notifications. Also the AR500 body armor flyers.
n
@ray, that is just a big bucket of suck. Do your best not to get splashed, and support your wife. That’s about all you can do.
n
Took my stuff to the auction and she wants more, so I’m making another trip tomorrow. Did my pickups. If certain things gub related get tight or unobtainium I’ll look like a genius. Gonna be hard to control items without serial numbers… and considering that the auctioneer has a sign on the door welcoming CHL holders, and the employee loading stuff in vehicles was open carrying, I expect he’ll have server trouble if anyone comes for his customer list. (This auctioneer is still selling (for a premium) Trump coins, flags, and other paraphernalia.) He’s also the one that had his client’s N95 masks seized by the local commie judge, so no love lost there. And they still haven’t paid for the masks like they promised in the newspaper article…
Another pickup involved another auctioneer, who was also open carrying. That’s new for both places. He joked about why someone might need to buy ammo, because no matter how much you have, the answer to the question of how much you need is .. “MORE”. Turns out the single boxes and lots of two boxes were his personal stash, just cleaning out oddball calibers and steel case…
One auction this week was mostly ammo in lots of one or two boxes, or even baggies full of random rounds. This is how a free market works, when the price gets high enough, the ‘hoarders’ start selling and the supply increases. That’s what SHOULD have happened with masks.
To a much lesser degree it’s happening with gubs too, although it’s weird stuff coming out of the safes at this point.
n
Punt of course.
I say that because if they were honest and had balls they would rule that every gun related law and rule void. “Shall not be infringed” is simple enough for a half bright 4th grade kid to understand.
SCOTUS just restating the Heller decision to the Ninth Circus would be a monumental effort for them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_v._Heller
People do not understand that those electrons coming out the wall were made just a moment ago and traveled to you at the speed of light.
You will have to count me as one of the people. Electrons travelling through copper at the speed of light? You sure?!
The older I get, the more I know that I don’t know.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_electricity
My eyes glazed over fairly rapidly on that article. And this one made me hurt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drift_velocity
“Therefore, in this wire the electrons are flowing at the rate of 23 μm/s. At 60 Hz alternating current, this means that within half a cycle the electrons drift less than 0.2 μm. In other words, electrons flowing across the contact point in a switch will never actually leave the switch.”
“By comparison, the Fermi flow velocity of these electrons (which, at room temperature, can be thought of as their approximate velocity in the absence of electric current) is around 1570 km/s.[2]”
Nope, not gonna figure this out today. The speed of electricty ain’t the speed of light though but it is extremely fast. And who knows what the speed is going through the the 69,000, 138,000, or the 345,000 volt transmission lines with all of the step-up and step-down transformers to the local distribution systems ?
Nope, not gonna figure this out today. The speed of electricty ain’t the speed of light though but it is extremely fast. And who knows what the speed is going through the the 69,000, 138,000, or the 345,000 volt transmission lines with all of the step-up and step-down transformers to the local distribution systems ?
IIRC, the speed of the electrons in a transmission line is roughly 1/3 the speed of light.
There is a bunch of fiddly transmission line math that gets involved over long distances at AC frequency. I didn’t really do well in that section of my EE education.
The last time I used the equations professionally was passing the telephony subject matter exam at GTE. A certain percentage of every department in the company had to pass the test when State of Florida started sniffing around the Data Services division to figure out if the parent company laundered utility profits through the subsidiary as excessive data processing charges.
Heat update.
We are back to normal. HVAC man replaced the motor on the zone valve and all is well. Spent some time asking questions and learning how to more efficiently trouble shoot for next time.
(This auctioneer is still selling (for a premium) Trump coins, flags, and other paraphernalia.) He’s also the one that had his client’s N95 masks seized by the local commie judge, so no love lost there. And they still haven’t paid for the masks like they promised in the newspaper article…
Is there an ongoing lawsuit ?
And commie judges rarely pay for anything.
Do you feel like identifying the auction site(s) ?
I don’t know about lawsuits, but the auctioneer told me a couple of months ago that he still hadn’t been paid.
https://www.auctionsunlimitedllc.com/
He’s down by Hobby.
n
That is what the peasants are there for, is it not? 🙂
The problem with Heller is that the limp dicta, though officially of no weight in the decision, has been used to continue business as usual in prohibiting certain people from possessing or bearing arms and in prohibiting any arms from being carried in certain locations or under certain circumstances.
In Syria, the Assad family is bad, but they’re the least bad of the available options.
‘And commie judges rarely pay for anything.’
That is what the peasants are there for, is it not?
The “Judge” concept is something unique to Texas. Based on the IQ points of the local title holders, my guess is that the office was largely symbolic up until the pandemic.
Austin’s Mayor scheduled a special election for May which will decide whether he can be a “strong” Mayor, elected in Presidential election years.
The judge is an elected position and acts as Emergency Manager for the County. We had an excellent one, with lots of experience in Ed Emmett. He was pushed out by the fiesty latina with ZERO EMgmt training or experience in the last ‘straight party ticket’ vote. EM isn’t a job for a newbie.
n
Oh yeah, and naming a dread disease is only racist when you name it after the chinese. They didn’t buy the WHO to have them turn around and bad mouth China… nor did they buy all those people in the press to have them point out anything like that.
n
More ruh roh:
https://wolfstreet.com/2021/03/24/fha-mortgage-delinquencies-hit-17-5-in-30-metros-over-20-the-other-side-of-the-red-hot-housing-market/
Fortunately, most mortgages are NOT FHA. Still…
Several people have attempted to get pissy at me for calling it the Chinese Virus. “We’re trying to be more sensitive and move beyond naming diseases for peoples and places.” Riiight. Get back to me when you stop calling it Lyme Disease. I guess it’s different when your tiny-dicked paymasters have a disease named for them. Yes, every one of the attempted pissers is a flaming libtard.
In other news, I’m no longer making even a token effort to get along with my enemies.
Syria and the Assads deserve everything they are getting and more for their destruction of Lebanon. I’d contribute to a Salt the Earth in Syria if one started up.
With regard to proper use of language, an assault rifle is a military weapon that fires full auto. If the Democrats really think otherwise, they should put AR15’s in the appropriations bill for the Army and see how it flies.
Calling an AR15 an assault rifle or an assault weapon is acquiescing to the libtards efforts to control the language as a first step in controlling the discussion. Go along with it at your own risk. I prefer Tinker Toy Rifle. Sounds harmless, you say? Gee, never thought of that.
MSM doesn’t like “senility”. OK. “The President is exhibiting some of the symptoms of advanced syphilis.” Starts with an “s”, too.
@Lynn
Word of the Day: agamassan (noun)
Happy Wiki Trails.
@SteveF
“In other news, I’m no longer making even a token effort to get along with my enemies. ”
Better for the digestion when you are not in conflict with your natural impulses.
IIRC some of the MSM outlets will give the gunman’s name just once and then not repeat it so as to not appease the gunman’s possible motive to garner publicity for himself. Though I did hear his name several times today on Fox News.
Is there a Dem plan to confirm Harris’ pick to replace her as VP? Without a sitting VP the Senate deadlocks at 50 – 50. Thoughts on the replacement VP?
Is there a Dem plan to confirm Harris’ pick to replace her as VP? Without a sitting VP the Senate deadlocks at 50 – 50. Thoughts on the replacement VP?
Kerry. He would be the easiest to pull a Republican to support and has no possible career path moving forward beyond being lapdog for the Dems.
I still don’t see the chair getting filled before 2023 unless the Republicans want to commit political suicide. If they can’t get Warnock’s or Kelly’s seat back, maybe longer.
I’m now getting panicked emails from Warnock begging for money. They must come from the same list as my daily beg communications from McAuliffe in VA.
@Nick
“Someone might be able to do generation ships, but not humans. You can’t even get projects that last a single lifetime, let alone generations.”
Our National Cathedral took over 80 years. If it were half done today it would be stopped by the SJI’s and the rest of the Democrats.
The major cathedrals of Europe took centuries to build. Same for Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt and the Americas. It’s not that humans can’t do it, but a necessary prerequisite for a successful project is probably the existence of an organizing institution that is itself unchanging over centuries. To date, humans have only invented one such, religion, and it’s out of fashion just now.
@Ray Thompson
“BIL and his wife will not take kindly to that split and I expect some butt hurt.”
Just discretely make sure your wife isn’t inclined to assuage that hurt by redistributing the cash. Stand behind her and strop a Kabar to polish that final edge or do something equally subtle to show your support.
We have the Honeywell digital equivalent of the old-fashioned analog thermostat.
Turn it on via set temp when we want AC or heat and it shuts off when it reaches the required temp. Raise the temp at night or when we go out. No need for any programming. Analog one (also Honeywell) was working fine but wife wanted ability to easily set the temp at the one degree level.
This one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-Home-Horizontal-Non-Programmable-Thermostat-RTH111B/203539510
The SF Book Club came out with a list of “The 50 Most Significant Science Fiction Books” in about 2007.
It actually stands the test of time pretty well I feel.
I think I’ve read all of them except “Children of the Atom”.
1. The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
3. Dune, Frank Herbert
4. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein
5. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
6. Neuromancer, William Gibson
7. Childhood’s End, Arthur C. Clarke
8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
9. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
10. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
11. The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
12. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
13. The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov
14. Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras
15. Cities in Flight, James Blish
16. The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
17. Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison
18. Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison
19. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
20. Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
21. Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
22. Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card
23. The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R. Donaldson
24. The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
25. Gateway, Frederik Pohl
26. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling
27. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
28. I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
29. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
30. The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
31. Little, Big, John Crowley
32. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
33. The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick
34. Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
35. More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
36. The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
37. On the Beach, Nevil Shute
38. Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
39. Ringworld, Larry Niven
40. Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
41. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
42. Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut
43. Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
44. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
45. The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester
46. Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
47. Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock
48. The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks
49. Timescape, Gregory Benford
50. To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer
Some details from the MSM – they did at least say it’s unclear which weapon was used (or both?)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/24/us/boulder-colorado-shooting#ruger-ar-556-boulder-shooting
Must be a student driver (okay, captain)…
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/massive-cargo-ship-turns-sideways-blocks-egypts-suez-canal
The cathedrals changed and evolved during their construction, some were abandoned, and the people doing the work came and went. It was also a very stable period in history as grinding poverty doesn’t allow for much change.
Humans don’t do well locked in a box, no matter how big the box. You might succeed in passing your values to your kids, but your kids aren’t going to pass them on without change. Any static society dies a slow death without either being able to harness the troublemakers (send them to the frontier) or bring in new blood.
You might be able to do it by severely limiting education, intellectual development, curiosity, individuality, etc. but what do you do when you find you need creativity and flexibility?
n
I’ve read about 90% of that list. I was glad to see James Blish and the Cities in Flight series. Go Spindizzies.
I think it must have been the most significant SF & F, because no way are all of those SF and the Anne Rice is barely F.
I’ve been thinking of re-reading the Neuromancer/Burning Chrome books to see if they hold up. I loved them when they came out.
Fought my way through the SRRD White Gold Wielder series. Might have given up before the end. Really unpleasant. Dhalgren is such a POS I have to blame affirmative action or white guilt. I’ve gone on about that doorstop here before.
Ringworld and the spinoffs are fantastic, including all the Man/Kzin war collections. And I loved LOTR, but Silmarillion?
Notice how many of them span more than a few novels? Dragonflight, Ender, LOTR, Harry Plopper, Hitchhikers Guide, the Anne Rice, ringworld, Shannara, the white gold wielder, Cities, Foundation,Dune. Some of the stories were too big for one book, some were too good for more than one book.
n
I do like the trilogy but I still question the classification. Where is the Science in that set? Surely, it should be Fantasy or some such.
And I stopped there. I love Dragonflight and the myriad books related but Science Fiction?
I have read most of the books on that list. I agree with Nick and Marcelo and it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw Tolkien at the top of the list: Loved Lord of the Rings, but that is NOT science fiction. Nor Wizard of Earthsea nor The First Chronicles… (Should be a law against ridiculously long titles). Why is Interview with a Vampire in there? Simarillion is not a very good book and the Hobbit is better, but neither belong here. Why is Handmaid’s Tale NOT in there? I loved Ringworld because it is such a great BIG idea. I re-read it last week and the 4 prequel books deserve a place on the list (and in my opinion are better reads). (Opening a can of worms here as everyone will have inclusions and exclusions).
Nick, I do recommend re-reading Gibson’s books (I re-read all of them a few months ago), and not just Neuromancer, though that is the classic and a genre defining work. I very much like all his work and he has improved as an author.
Maybe we are getting too picky. Bunch of old farts…. (pardon my literacy).
Nick and you all are right, it was “
”… Sorry about that.
And yes, always been amused that Blish would give Scranton some props.
But no Ballard, no Andre Norton?
I read Dahlgren, didn’t like it.
But my biggest beefs are with stuff left out: for example no Vernor Vinge, no David Brin?
By 2007 both had published their most known future histories and works.
My sister noticed, no Zelazny, no HG Wells, no. Shelley.
LOTR is at the top of the list because most people think Tolkien invented fantasy.
Neuromancer was and is a good book. But it’s not the origin of cyberpunk, or even close. Read Laumer’s first Bolo story and see if cyberpunk doesn’t come to mind.
Two Dick’s? (No Letterkenny jokes). Dick wouldn’t be in print if not for Ridley Scott/Harrison Ford* and CGI getting good enough to make his limited visions filmable.
Heinlein’s contributions should include Moon is a Harsh Mistress, The Door into Summer, and The Past Through Tomorrow. If the list is “and Fantasy”, add Glory Road. And three juveniles.
Simak’s City
Smith’s Skylark
Canticle is there (yes, Hugo, i know) but not Alas, Babylon?
Did the list have a start date? Missing are Verne, Wells, Burroughs, and Lovecraft.
It’s too bad that books don’t have a “Prior Art” section like patents.
ADDED: I agree with most of the omissions listed above, so didn’t duplicate.
‘And commie judges rarely pay for anything.’
That is what the peasants are there for, is it not?
The “Judge” concept is something unique to Texas. Based on the IQ points of the local title holders, my guess is that the office was largely symbolic up until the pandemic.
During Reconstruction, the County Judges in Texas would empanel a jury, sentence the carpetbaggers, and hang them. Or so I have heard.
In the smaller counties, the County Judge does have judicial powers. I am not sure where the distinction is as there are 2 or 3 counties in Texas with less than 1,000 inhabitants.
Our previous county judge here in Fort Bend County, Judge Robert Hebert, was a good man during the massive flooding that we had with the Memorial Day, Tax Day, and Hurricane Harvey floods. He had things smoothly setup and helped those who quickly who were living in the toughest of times.
Our new county judge here in Fort Bend County is a democrat, born in India, and a whiner. But he has done a good job with the covid testing and vaccination sites.
The judge is an elected position and acts as Emergency Manager for the County. We had an excellent one, with lots of experience in Ed Emmett. He was pushed out by the fiesty latina with ZERO EMgmt training or experience in the last ‘straight party ticket’ vote. EM isn’t a job for a newbie.
n
They should put a double lifesize statue up for Ed Emmett. He single handedly ramrodded the Beltway 8 Tollway around Houston in the middle 1980s when the oil bust was going on. I start driving the section from 59 SW to Westheimer in 1989 when I came back to Houston from Dallas. It was totally amazing and allowed the population of Houston the room to double in the next ten years.
@Ray Thompson
“BIL and his wife will not take kindly to that split and I expect some butt hurt.”
Just discretely make sure your wife isn’t inclined to assuage that hurt by redistributing the cash. Stand behind her and strop a Kabar to polish that final edge or do something equally subtle to show your support.
Funny, but my son’s kabar in the Marines Corps did not have a sharp edge on it. It was basically a bayonet and pig sticker. Not this:
https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B08SW61TL9/?tag=ttgnet-20
Funny story, his battalion was formed up to get on the bus to go to March AFB to catch a 747 for Maine, Germany, Iraq back in 2008. The gunnies ran an inventory of all their equipment and one man was missing his kabar. Somehow they found another kabar before the buses arrived but the gunnies were going ape crazy there for a while. I thought they were going to take the Marine behind a building there for a while and give him a special education. After the Marine found a kabar, the gunnies were using government issued cans of Off and a cigarette lighter to flame thrower an ant bed. Yup, the US Marine Corps is ADHD from the top to the bottom.
Bonus: That was the trip that I found out that Abrams tanks drive down the middle of two lane roads and they don’t backup for anyone. My Expedition had a real nice reverse gear.
The bread slicer for my freshly baked sourdough bread at HEB is broken. My daughter says that is a #FirstWorldProblem.
The SF Book Club came out with a list of “The 50 Most Significant Science Fiction Books” in about 2007.
It actually stands the test of time pretty well I feel.
I think I’ve read all of them except “Children of the Atom”.
1. The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
3. Dune, Frank Herbert
4. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein
5. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
6. Neuromancer, William Gibson
7. Childhood’s End, Arthur C. Clarke
8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
9. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
10. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
11. The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
12. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
13. The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov
14. Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras
15. Cities in Flight, James Blish
16. The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
17. Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison
18. Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison
19. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
20. Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
21. Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
22. Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card
23. The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R. Donaldson
24. The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
25. Gateway, Frederik Pohl
26. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling
27. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
28. I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
29. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
30. The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
31. Little, Big, John Crowley
32. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
33. The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick
34. Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
35. More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
36. The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
37. On the Beach, Nevil Shute
38. Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
39. Ringworld, Larry Niven
40. Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
41. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
42. Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut
43. Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
44. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
45. The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester
46. Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
47. Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock
48. The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks
49. Timescape, Gregory Benford
50. To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer
#1 LOTR needs to be “The Hobbit”.
I read 31 of the 50. That is a very fantasy heavy list.
Only two Heinleins, neither is one of my favorites: TSB, TMIAHM, COTG.
No Doc Smith.
I have read most of the books on that list. I agree with Nick and Marcelo and it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw Tolkien at the top of the list: Loved Lord of the Rings, but that is NOT science fiction. Nor Wizard of Earthsea nor The First Chronicles… (Should be a law against ridiculously long titles). Why is Interview with a Vampire in there? Simarillion is not a very good book and the Hobbit is better, but neither belong here. Why is Handmaid’s Tale NOT in there? I loved Ringworld because it is such a great BIG idea. I re-read it last week and the 4 prequel books deserve a place on the list (and in my opinion are better reads). (Opening a can of worms here as everyone will have inclusions and exclusions).
The list is “In 2003 the club released a list of “The Most Significant SF & Fantasy Books of the Last 50 Years, 1953-2002″, and reissued them in series dust jackets. The list is no longer on the SFBC site, but has been reproduced on numerous other sites. ”
http://www.sfadb.com/SFBC
No David Weber (Mutineer’s Moon), No John Ringo, No Lois McMaster Bujold (Shards of Honor, 1986). And yes, no Andre Norton ??? No Pournelle ?
Funny story, his battalion was formed up to get on the bus to go to March AFB to catch a 747 for Maine, Germany, Iraq back in 2008. The gunnies ran an inventory of all their equipment and one man was missing his kabar. Somehow they found another kabar before the buses arrived but the gunnies were going ape crazy there for a while. I thought they were going to take the Marine behind a building there for a while and give him a special education. After the Marine found a kabar, the gunnies were using government issued cans of Off and a cigarette lighter to flame thrower an ant bed. Yup, the US Marine Corps is ADHD from the top to the bottom.
You can see the top of my son’s kabar in his right leg pocket in this picture I took right before he got on the bus at his base outside of 29 Palms, California. He is carrying his M4 with a thermal imager / scope on top of it, aka battery eater.
https://www.winsim.com/michael_usmc.jpg