Possibly rainy and wet, with some heat and humidity tossed in. At least is was fairly cool yesterday, mainly because of the rain…
Stayed in and messed around all day. Did auction stuff mostly, then played a game with the kids before bed. Played Catan again. It’s a fun little game, and we’re still learning the ins and outs, but at this point I’d say “give it a try” if you like that sort of thing.
I won a bunch of household stuff in the weekend auctions, so I’ll be picking that stuff up all week. And doing paperwork. And listing some things, and dropping some things off for sale.
I feel stiff, but most of the soreness and infirmity has worked its way out. I bought some ice/heat therapy packs, the inversion table, and even a massage mat for my office chair to try to avoid another week of treatment or pain. May come a day when easy access to the treatment and meds I used this time isn’t available. I better practice ‘self care’ before then so I can still get help or try something else if it doesn’t work.
That is the core of prepping- see a possible problem in the future, and do what you can to ameliorate the problem now. It’s not a new idea, “a stitch in time saves nine (stitches)” and “for want of a nail the kingdom was lost” and “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” are old memes that convey the idea quite well.
Of course, there are some others that capture the human side of the equation very well like “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink” and “there’s none so deaf as those who will not hear” and even “there’s nought so queer as folks.”
Figure out what you’re missing, and stack it high.
nick
All of them.
BTW, before a hurricane, Home Depot and Lowes usually bring in several 18 wheelers of plywood and sheetrock at considerable expense. And lately, those 18 wheelers are charging way more to bring a load across the USA.
To be fair to Home Depot, I don’t remember seeing the “gouging” incidents over plywood during storm prep/aftermath in Florida in the 90s and 00s, which supposedly contributed to Florida’s move to pass anti-gouging laws before we left in 2010.
Gouging is pretty a bad business practice for a big chain.
In the early 90s, particularly around the time of Andrew, Home Depot was still pretty new in the market, competing against entrenched regional chains such as Scotty’s and Lindsey Lumber or local yards in Dade run by “somebody’s cousin”.
“Scarce” and “Out of Print”. Twas ever thus. That’s what has kept the second hand book trade in business for 500 years. 🙂
“Am I the only person noticing that the price of used dead tree books goes ways up when the new books run out ?”
“Scarce” and “Out of Print”. Twas ever thus. That’s what has kept the second hand book trade in business for 500 years.
As of late, on-demand printing has allowed low volume runs of books where dead tree copies are in demand, such as “Cosmic Banditos”, whose author arranged for a new run after noticing copies going for hundreds of dollars on the late Half.com. However, while fine for trade paperbacks, my personal experience with on-demand printing has made me regret selling original “Star Trek” art-heavy books when we needed money in Vantucky.
Kindle pretty much eliminates the possibility that a book will go “out of print”, but Amazon has “recall” power to yank titles from their readers, something not possible with dead tree copies.
Bestsellers and/or books making press end up torrented. I doubt anything will happen to “Chaos Monkeys”. However, lesser known titles published through Amazon could be, as they say, Erased … From Existence…
Reminds me of when I went to Sam’s Club for the earlier hours for business card holders. They wouldn’t let an Asian guy in (mere regular card holder). He tried to stop me as I went to the door “no let in, not let in”. I bumped past him and walked in. The wailing really started then.
“or you think is fair” is what I would expect from someplace like HD or Lowes. Most public corporations have, and abide to a code of conduct. Yes, they forced ‘Louie’s Lumber out of business, but it was above board. (And the pun was not intentional.)
@lynn, any update on your gennie ETA?
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_0fc37680-ad2d-11eb-a4de-7300efed4873.html
We could always go back and revive this…
https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2011/03/28/six-reasons-google-books-failed/
Oh, was at Lowe’s yesterday and noticed that all the ‘masks required’ signage had been removed from the entry doors. Didn’t see anyone without one, but wasn’t there very long.
Looks like the retraining of the American people is working. We obey our masters even when no longer required by threat of fine.
You won’t see that in Indian country.
Reminds me of when I went to Sam’s Club for the earlier hours for business card holders. They wouldn’t let an Asian guy in (mere regular card holder). He tried to stop me as I went to the door “no let in, not let in”. I bumped past him and walked in. The wailing really started then.
They know.
Oh, was at Lowe’s yesterday and noticed that all the ‘masks required’ signage had been removed from the entry doors. Didn’t see anyone without one, but wasn’t there very long.
My wife forgot a mask at Home Depot inside the city limits yesterday, but, when she checked with the employees about the rules, the greeter at the door said that they weren’t enforcing it anymore. He offered that she could take one from the stash they keep by the door — which she did — but it wasn’t necessary.
Masking will be over in most places after Memorial Day.
I’m not sure why some people consider a plugs vax passport racist:
Concert entrance: Please show your vax QR.
Person: I don’t have one.
CE: Then you can’t come in.
Person: I’m Black and that QR code is raayyyyciiisss!
CE: Please, please come in dear Black person.
Home Depot — that reminds me.
If you don’t think inflation is hitting hard, go visit the AC filter aisle at Home Depot.
At the local store, most of the filter brands are gone with the exception of co-branded Home Depot/Honeywell line.
Whether or not Home Depot gouges, other business practices of theirs are not always “above board”. The dual logo on the filters probably means Home Depot extorted Honeywell into putting their brand on cut rate product for which the store is getting $15-20 each for 11-12 MERV where they used to be lucky to sell a three pack for that price.
I’m not sure why some people consider a plugs vax passport racist:
The African American community has been highly resistant to vaccination, hence the use of “Hamilton” hints in the “This is our shot” commercials.
A government-sponsored crash development project to create a “passport” app to show a unique QR code on smartphone screes for vaccination status and time/location of the check verified by asymetric key crypto of some kind would be a complete cluster f*ck which would never produce anything that actually worked as intended.
“or whatever you think is fair” applies to individuals too, but usually ends up with them selling all of their items to someone who then flips them for more money. “Retail arbitrage” has been going on for a while now, the same way and for the same reasons financial arbitrage works. There are temporary distortions in the ‘perfect marketplace’ due to time, location, accident, planning, or just luck, which someone sees and capitalizes on.
My buddy the gun store owner has philosophical objections to charging market rates for ammo, so he has none to sell. What he does get, he holds for people who will use it rather than flip it. He is sincere in his decision (I’m not privy to his reasons) but as an outsider it looks crazy.
n
You guys know I watch the trade magazines for indications of the true state of the economy…
Well, I got my issue of Machine Design this week and it’s down to 40 pages. MD is the most general of the manufacturing/distribution/production magazines that I get. It has VERY broad coverage and subscriber base, as just about every aspect of the economy uses built machines for something.
It’s down from 60 and 68 and more pages even a few months ago, and FAR down from the hundreds it could run to in the peak years.
Manufacturers, parts suppliers, etc just don’t see the point of advertising to their customers and other businesses at the moment, and that is very bad in my estimation.
n
Both Pfizer and Moderna have applied for regular authorization.
Gasoline prices: Up another $0.06 from Friday afternoon to Monday morning, meaning about a $0.30 rise since the pipeline shutdown and about $0.78 since the coup put the senile pedo in the White House.
Home Depot yesterday still had the sign up (“As required by NY State law…”, which is in fact a lie). I walked in with no mask, got a hoe (with an “e”, so get your minds out of the gutter), paid, and walked out, with not even a dirty look. I saw no other unmasked faces, not even toddlers in the kid seat of shopping carts. -sigh-
Busy weekend for me. I picked up my daughter and one of her friends from school Friday afternoon and brought them back to school this morning. It really wasn’t a problem, just more noise and other chaos than usual and more effort than usual in getting The Brat (and friend) to do something productive rather than just play Minecraft for 60 hours.
No more than with any other drug.
“I believe that, at this point, the shots are all considered EUA which limits the mandates the Feds can issue such as requiring proof of immunization to board an airplane.”
Both Pfizer and Moderna have applied for regular authorization.
That will take a while.
Texas daily death counts blamed on Covid regardless of actual cause hit ‘0’ yesterday according to the 10 PM Sinclair (CBS) station newscast.
They have some of the same hesitancy seen here in the US, plus they had beaten community spread down by aggressive contact tracing, quarantine, and travel restrictions. They also only have a relative handful of doses from what I read, and now that they have another outbreak, demand is picking up.
At this point, that seems to be true. I’ve looked at the scattered media reports on vaccinated people that have died with COVID and there seems to be one common thread – severe illness that compromised the immune system. Viruses tend to go to a less virulent form over time in order to promote spread, but mutations are pretty unpredictable.
Also, we will see more people that are vaccinated getting diagnosed with COVID as time goes by, simply because the number of vaccinated people will be increasing. https://www.theinsight.org/p/why-the-vaccine-are-a-home-run-despite
So, that’s a yes?
Sort of what I’ve seen occasionally at Costco during senior hour (9-10 am), some of the youngest “seniors” I’ve ever seen. If it’s too blatant the person at the door check for a membership card will politely pull them aside and explain the rules to them.
@Lynn
The Jumper series has quite a following and the tech audience has the “want it now” mindset and the coin.
Amazon is dominated by the sellers using repricing algorithms and the top end is always dropshippers who have no inventory and troll for suckers.
I am seeing this all over Amazon for SF books that do not have new books available anymore and the used books go up in price significantly.
https://www.amazon.com/Armageddon-Inheritance-David-Weber/dp/B0073AOEW0/?tag=ttgnet-20
And Amazon is doing something weird. This book is second in a series of three books but Amazon has removed it from the series list. But the first book is still listed as a series of one book. I have told Amazon of the problem but I doubt that I am getting past the computer.
https://www.amazon.com/Mutineers-Moon-Dahak-David-Weber/dp/0671720856/?tag=ttgnet-20
I’m shocked! Shocked!
https://www.cbr.com/att-sells-warner-bros-hbo-to-discovery-inc/
@lynn, any update on your gennie ETA?
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_0fc37680-ad2d-11eb-a4de-7300efed4873.html
Nope, they are not getting shipments of the liquid cooled generators very often. The air cooled lawn mowers in the box are showing up though. I suspect that the cpu chip shortage is affecting Generac also. I know that they will schedule me when the generator shows up though.
As of late, on-demand printing has allowed low volume runs of books where dead tree copies are in demand, such as “Cosmic Banditos”, whose author arranged for a new run after noticing copies going for hundreds of dollars on the late Half.com. However, while fine for trade paperbacks, my personal experience with on-demand printing has made me regret selling original “Star Trek” art-heavy books when we needed money in Vantucky.
My experience with Amazon’s Coppell, Texas POD (print on demand) facility is nothing short of amazing. Many authors are moving to it, even John Scalzi. The consistency is good, the four color covers are nice, and I have gotten delivery the next day after ordering a book.
Reminds me of when I went to Sam’s Club for the earlier hours for business card holders.
Sort of what I’ve seen occasionally at Costco during senior hour (9-10 am), some of the youngest “seniors” I’ve ever seen. If it’s too blatant the person at the door check for a membership card will politely pull them aside and explain the rules to them.
You know what they say, “60 is the new 40”. Not by me but a lot of 60 year olds really look young.
@Lynn
The Jumper series has quite a following and the tech audience has the “want it now” mindset and the coin.
Amazon is dominated by the sellers using repricing algorithms and the top end is always dropshippers who have no inventory and troll for suckers.
I would have thought that the publishers would get a new printing made or move the book to POD (print on demand) but neither of those seem to happen anymore.
My experience with Amazon’s Coppell, Texas POD (print on demand) facility is nothing short of amazing. Many authors are moving to it, even John Scalzi. The consistency is good, the four color covers are nice, and I have gotten delivery the next day after ordering a book.
Trade paperbacks, right?
I stopped looking at my Amazon seller account where my books got sold off to pay rent. Vantucky was such a disaster.
Mainstream publishers are reluctant to go to POD, in many cases. Self-published writers who make paperbacks for Amazon are all POD.
Once mainstream publishers get past a print run, they are unlikely to print more, unless sales warrant.
All of the POD copies of my books on Zon have been well-printed. I always get a dozen POD copies for each book for some friends and family.
(“As required by NY State law…”, which is in fact a lie)
@Lynn – TWC is still backed up on unemployment cases. This morning, I did the regular check on my appeal, filed Oct. 27, 2020.
FYI if you need to fire someone.
Had the first shot (Pfizer/Biontec) on the weekend. Arm really sore for about 24 hours, otherwise no problems.
At this point, I think it’s an open question, whether annual vaccinations will be needed, like they are for the flu. The mRNA vaccines target a very specific structure on the virus that seems to be essential to its ability to invade cells. The virus may or may not be able to alter this structure and still be infectious. Time will tell.
IMHO, everyone should be vaccinated, unless they have a valid, medical reason not to be. If anti-vaxxers had existed at the time, we would still suffer from polio and smallpox. Get rid of the anti-vaxxers, and we ought to be able to get rid of a host of other diseases, for example, measles. Corona viruses, probably not, or not entirely, but we can at least squash particular variants.
Got my comment above inside out and no means to edit.
Yeah, the Amazon pages for series are serious bad quite often. Not sure if it’s incompetence or malice.
I also noticed in the ads for three separate books and authors I was researching this weekend the weird out-of-line $500 – $1,000 priced copies. One for for a second tier 70s SF paperback. Hmmm.
Since Amazon gets 15%+ I guess there isn’t much incentive for them to crack down.
And you are entitled to your opinion and even to express it.
What gets you a bullet in the head is attempting to force others to behave in accordance with your opinion.
Don’t sweat it. Topologically, the inside and the outside are equivalent.
It’s a statement of fact. The trials for the COVID vaccines were as extensive as any for a new drug. All new drugs can have side effects not seen in trials happen when they are released to millions of users. There is no way around it. So, all new drugs are somewhat experimental. So, the COVID vaccines are no different than any other drug and to say they are is disingenuous at best.
Re: the ATT/Warner/Discovery
It’s not a “sale” it is a spin off and merger, according to a FB friend that is a M&A attorney. As is not uncommon, the “reporters” at CBR misunderstand.
IMHO, everyone should be vaccinated, unless they have a valid, medical reason not to be. If anti-vaxxers had existed at the time, we would still suffer from polio and smallpox. Get rid of the anti-vaxxers, and we ought to be able to get rid of a host of other diseases, for example, measles. Corona viruses, probably not, or not entirely, but we can at least squash particular variants.
The egg-cultured vaccines are allergy problems for a significant number of people, myself included.
The measles vaccination falls into that category.
Because many own printing presses. Gotta keep that asset “valuable”. It’s also why many of them use “agency pricing” to keep ebooks above the price of paperbacks.
There are a handful of authors that I will pay those absurd prices for on Kindle, but I’ve pretty much switched to free Kindle Unlimited books and selected books offered at $2.99 or less. I’ve gotten a lot of cookbooks on Kindle for $2.99 or less – most have been worth it. The free ones tend to be …. sub par.
Re: the ATT/Warner/Discovery
It’s not a “sale” it is a spin off and merger, according to a FB friend that is a M&A attorney. As is not uncommon, the “reporters” at CBR misunderstand.
I grabbed the news report which popped up doing a quick search. Regardless of structure, the deal caught many by surprise, but the announcement wasn’t totally unexpected. AT&T never could afford the debt.
Hmmm, won’t their failure to be vcacinated result in theit own demise?
Asking for a friend, I’ve got my shots distemper included.
Well ignore that last quote, this is the correct one.
and I hope we get the editor back so I can avoid looking as stupid as I am.
–n
That probably sounded more sinister than I intended….
Texas on Sunday recorded zero new Covid deaths for the first time since it began tracking data on the virus in March 2020 and new cases in the Lone Star State hit a 13-month low.
No big FOMO holiday since Easter. Memorial Day will be the real test, but that is simply a day off for most people.
What? You think you are special? Get in line, behind me, in front of SteveF.
My experience with Amazon’s Coppell, Texas POD (print on demand) facility is nothing short of amazing. Many authors are moving to it, even John Scalzi. The consistency is good, the four color covers are nice, and I have gotten delivery the next day after ordering a book.
Trade paperbacks, right?
I stopped looking at my Amazon seller account where my books got sold off to pay rent. Vantucky was such a disaster.
Yes, POD books are trade paperbacks. I have seen them on sale on Amazon for $11 to $18.
Get rid of the anti-vaxxers, and we ought to be able to get rid of a host of other diseases
That probably sounded more sinister than I intended….
I know a LOT of anti-vaxxers. More than I can count on my fingers. The individuals have been interesting.
@Lynn – TWC is still backed up on unemployment cases. This morning, I did the regular check on my appeal, filed Oct. 27, 2020.
FYI if you need to fire someone.
Nobody in particular, just all of them.
“England: Why we need Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground and rifles with lots of big magazines.”
https://gunfreezone.net/england-why-we-need-castle-doctrine-stand-your-ground-and-rifles-with-lots-of-big-magazines/
“Video shows hooded Muslim youths smashing up and breaking inside a YouTuber’s family home in Birmingham, England because he allegedly “disrespected Palestine.””
Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
I’m shocked! Shocked!
https://www.cbr.com/att-sells-warner-bros-hbo-to-discovery-inc/
So that is how you reduce $165 billion to $80 billion over five years. Looks easy to do.
I would have thought that the publishers would get a new printing made or move the book to POD (print on demand) but neither of those seem to happen anymore.
Mainstream publishers are reluctant to go to POD, in many cases. Self-published writers who make paperbacks for Amazon are all POD.
Once mainstream publishers get past a print run, they are unlikely to print more, unless sales warrant.
All of the POD copies of my books on Zon have been well-printed. I always get a dozen POD copies for each book for some friends and family.
I have MMPB that it is in its 7th printing according to the copyright page.
I am surprised that the publishers do not move books to POD status once they run out of the initial demand. Everyone hates inventory since the IRS counts that as profit and property tax authorities counts that as taxable.
Of course, Amazon is pushing ebooks big time. I hate ebooks since I read late at night and I do not want to be looking at a computer. Even though the latest Kindles are amazing works of art.
I got my second jab of the Pfizer mecho-gene-splicing experimental pseudo vaccine this morning. So far nothing. My arm isn’t even sore.
@Lynn – TWC is still backed up on unemployment cases. This morning, I did the regular check on my appeal, filed Oct. 27, 2020.
FYI if you need to fire someone.
Is the TWC hoping that you die before they process your appeal ?
I would appeal that all the way to SCOTUS. That firing is a stain on your employment record and your reputation.
In fact, I would probably file a libel lawsuit in Austin district court against the company. Just do it personally to minimize the legal costs.
I got my second jab of the Pfizer mecho-gene-splicing experimental pseudo vaccine this morning. So far nothing. My arm isn’t even sore.
I hope you stay that way. I got my second Pfizer jab on a Thursday. The next Monday at 4am I thought the world was coming to an end due to my gastronomical distress.
“Get rid of the anti-vaxxers, and we ought to be able to get rid of a host of other diseases”
That probably sounded more sinister than I intended….
The media in the US clumps anti-vaxxers together, as if they are all nutters.
The last measles pandemic in SW WA State in 2019 was a perfect storm of factors, including grossly incompetent healthcare personnel in the very office where my wife used to work, creating a “zone zero” of infection across a couple of hours on Valentines Day morning that year.
It became a “pandemic” instead of a simple epidemic when a family knowingly boarded a plane to Hawaii with two sick kids, a preview of the FOMO which made Covid so much worse than it should have been.
“Get rid of the anti-vaxxers, and we ought to be able to get rid of a host of other diseases”
That probably sounded more sinister than I intended….
The media in the US clumps anti-vaxxers together, as if they are all nutters.
The last measles pandemic in SW WA State in 2019 was a perfect storm of factors, including grossly incompetent healthcare personnel in the very office where my wife used to work, creating a “zone zero” of infection across a couple of hours on Valentines Day morning that year.
It became a “pandemic” instead of a simple epidemic when a family knowingly boarded a plane to Hawaii with two sick kids, a preview of the FOMO which made Covid so much worse than it should have been.
The two main anti-vaxxers that I know have 3 and 4 children between them. They had all their kids at home, one used a mid-wife, the other used her husband. They both home school their kids and do not vaccinate them at all.
Is it DadCooks who got Polio from the first attenuated live virus vaccine ? And then five years the dead virus Polio vaccine came out with Dr. Salk.
I read ProgLibTurd Bill Maher tested positive for COVID after being *fully* vaccinated. I hope he wasn’t at one of his orgy clubs. Talk about a super *spreader* event.
And Billy Gates back in news after reports he visited Pedostein “dozens” of times and asked how to end his toxic marriage. Perhaps a child bride in he future?
Over The Hedge: Its 9am somewhere
https://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2021/05/17
Yes, that would be exciting.
Revenge of the Amish Part Deaux:
Teen, 18, in an ankle monitor ‘snatches four-year-old boy from his bed, stabs him to death and dumps his body on Dallas street in random attack’
I wonder if Revs Sharpless and Jackwagon will comment.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
Freefall: Got Stiffed on the Nuclear Reactor
http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff3600/fc03593.htm
I get the feeling that Sam is going to get a working nuclear reactor for his space ship no matter what.
“UPDATE 1-U.S. Supreme Court backs energy companies over Baltimore in climate case”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-u-supreme-court-backs-143034943.html
“WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of BP PLC, Chevron Corp, Exxon Mobil Corp, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and other energy companies contesting a lawsuit filed by the city of Baltimore seeking monetary damages from them due to costs caused by global climate change.”
“The 7-1 ruling, authored by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, came on a technical legal issue that could help the companies in their effort to have the case heard in federal court, as they would prefer, instead of state court, which the city favors as it is seen as a more amenable venue.”
Yes !
Here is the actual decision, TL, DR (too long, did not read) for me.
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/19-1189_p86b.pdf
I would appeal that all the way to SCOTUS. That firing is a stain on your employment record and your reputation.
In fact, I would probably file a libel lawsuit in Austin district court against the company. Just do it personally to minimize the legal costs.
I haven’t even hit the first appeal hearing. There is a definite process with TWC.
TWC is severely backed up and, like many state agency, has way too many people “working” from home. I doubt much will happen before the end of the summer when Austin ISD will, in theory, fully reopen.
In fact, I would probably file a libel lawsuit in Austin district court against the company. Just do it personally to minimize the legal costs.
There may not be much of a company left to sue by the time TWC gets around to establishing my demonstrable financial loss by denying unemployment. The CEO for North America was fired last week.
I didn’t read it, but shouldn’t it be 9-0?
Yeah, there has to be more to this story… very careful statement by mom,
The mother, who was not named and spoke to the outlet off-camera, claimed her son was unknown to Brown and said she had no idea what led the man to target him.
–There’s gonna be drugs or a sexual relationship between the mom and the attacker, would be my bet.
n
UPDATE 1-U.S. Supreme Court backs energy companies over Baltimore in climate case
I didn’t read it, but shouldn’t it be 9-0?
Sontemeyer is a liberal tool and Alito did not vote since he owns energy company stock.
“Biden says he’s speaking to Netanyahu AGAIN today and will continue with ‘quiet, intensive diplomacy’ in bid to de-escalate Middle East fighting”
You know, when you go tell the victim to stop the beatings by the bully, it rarely works.
What happened to my URL above ?
Which of the three?
“Biden says he’s speaking to Netanyahu AGAIN today and will continue with ‘quiet, intensive diplomacy’ in bid to de-escalate Middle East fighting”
You know, when you go tell the victim to stop the beatings by the bully, it rarely works.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9587697/Antony-Blinken-says-hes-seen-no-evidence-Hamas-operating-Gaza-building-used-AP.html
“Supreme Court Unanimously Rebuffs Biden Administration on Warrantless Searches for Handguns”
https://www.theepochtimes.com/supreme-court-unanimously-rebuffs-biden-administration-on-warrantless-searches-for-handguns_3818753.html/?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=TheLibertyDaily
“The Supreme Court unanimously rejected Biden administration arguments in a case from Rhode Island that police should be allowed to enter homes without a warrant to seize handguns.”
“The ruling in the case, Caniglia v. Strom, court file 20-157, came May 17.”
This will be overturned by the Gang of 13, the future SCOTUS.
It was an insurance scam. The son blew it up for the insurance money.
http://columbiaclosings.com/pix/21/05/scam.jpg
“Jumper: A Novel (Jumper, 1)” by Steven Gould
https://www.amazon.com/Jumper-Novel-Steven-Gould/dp/0765378167/?tag=ttgnet-20
Book number one of a four book science fiction series. Or is it a fantasy series ? I have read this book several times, maybe four or five now. I read the well printed and well bound trade paperback published by Tor in 1992 that I bought new from Amazon. I am rebuying the other three books in the series and reading those as well. But I am having trouble as they have not been reissued in trade paperback and their print runs have run out.
The first time Davy jumped, he was sixteen and his drunken father was beating him. The second time Davy jumped, he was on the road and a number of men were getting ready to rape him. The third time he jumped, it was planned.
This is another book that Heinlein would be proud of. The first time that I read this, it was after “Reflex”, the second book in the series, also highly recommended.
Per the American Library Association, Jumper was one of the 100 most frequently banned books in America 1990-1999.
There was a movie made from the book in 2008. More of an inspiration as it was not very faithful to the book.
BTW, one of the reviewers stated that this is one of the best revenge books of all time. That is true.
My rating: 6 out of 5 stars (yes, this is one of my 20 or 30 six star books, deal with it).
Amazon rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (557 reviews)
It was an insurance scam. The son blew it up for the insurance money.
Everyone wants to be Kevin Smith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb8MVKihBDU
“New” used car safely home in the driveway. Fairly pleasant dealing with the sales folks. Short wait for the Finance person (female) who quickly ran through all the add-ons but no hard sell or pressure. Search and identify and get there before someone else does was the stressful part.
2015 Mazda3 Hatchback with only 35K miles and clean CarFax. Wife is happy and I am tired.
@Lynn
Davy is too squeamish. You want a revenge machine, it’s Griffin.
@alan, it’s a different process now isn’t it?
Glad you found one you liked.
n
Radiation inbound!
Rain is tapering off. Got about 2 hours of steady but fairly light rain.
n
Yes, quite different…and thanks.
One strange thing though, first time in 40+ years of buying cars/helping friends buy, salesman had the authority to agree to my counteroffer and close the deal without playing the ‘got to run this past the sales manager first’ game.
Oh, and the pandemic is over, not a mask in sight at the dealership and folks back to shaking hands!
Congrats, Alan. Must be a relief. With one exception, I have always bought and sold private party. Will be looking for something very specific, as soon as I decide the details, and have decided to go with Carvana if possible. Will be a very new experience for me.
Oh, and the pandemic is over, not a mask in sight at the dealership and folks back to shaking hands!
I think we the people have had enough of this pandemic nonsense. I hope it has had enough of us. Buh-bye!
It was an insurance scam. The son blew it up for the insurance money.
Everyone wants to be Kevin Smith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb8MVKihBDU
The Death Star conspiracy – was it an Inside Job?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEPazLTGceI
Oh, and the pandemic is over, not a mask in sight at the dealership and folks back to shaking hands!
I think we the people have had enough of this pandemic nonsense. I hope it has had enough of us. Buh-bye!
https://www.berkeleybreathed.com/store/signed-strips/905godsholytrousers
and
https://www.berkeleybreathed.com/store/signed-strips/906nextweek
Yes, they are new Bloom County strips.
Rain is tapering off. Got about 2 hours of steady but fairly light rain.
We had hail again in North Austin this afternoon, not far from the house.
My wife’s Exploder ended up with $1000 worth of damage from the storm a few weeks ago. Geico had 8000 claims in the metro related to that event.
@Lynn
Davy is too squeamish. You want a revenge machine, it’s Griffin.
Shhh ! We Jumper Originalists do not acknowledge Griffin.
Not sure if I saw this here or elsewhere:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/
Well Screwsome won’t let up yet
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-mask-guidelines-CDC-COVID-19-16183045.php
Four weeks to prepare for change? Whatever that means.
Did contact tracing ever amount to much in the US? Never really heard much about it.
So post the CDC’s “the pandemic is over” kinda message, once most everyone stops wearing masks we should all fall into one of these groups:
1. Vaccinated and effective
2. Vaccinated and not effective (e.g. the immuno-compromised)
3. Recovered from Covid and thereby protected
4. Not vaccinated and still wearing masks (e.g. children)
5. Not vaccinated and never had Covid and not wearing masks
It’s those in the last group that the remaining virus will seek out and circulate amongst, til they ge Covid and either recover or die. The problem is if they’re contagious and not wearing masks they can infect people in groups 2 and 4.
Or maybe better explained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au2tgLjdGIs
Kitteh adopts biker:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0mMEdXaqi8
I think that if you have big number of cases contact tracing is not very effective. Certainly not efficient. Contacts must grow exponentially and tracing and contacting people would be an enormous amount of resources with little benefit.
Contact tracing has worked really well in Oz but we have had to deal with really small number of cases out in the community.
“The U.S. Constitution does not say you have a right to keep and bear arms as long as you pay what amounts to a gun tax in the form of permit fees. It says you have the right to keep and carry firearms, period.”
Shane Stringer, Captain with the Mobile County Sheriffs Department and Alabama State Rep.
https://www.lawofficer.com/alabama-captain-fired/
Smart dude.
Also I would like to apologize for the fellow brit who was apparently a royal once but cucked out and married a D-list actress with issues. He seems to have issues with the 1st amendment, and doubtless the 2nd also.
OTOH I’m from NI and we often think the English are strange, so whatever.
@Alan
It worked a treat: All the right people got hired and paid, and will form cadre for the next time the gubermints need to work the snitches.
The Stasi had 1 in 20 party members acting as informants.
@Mark W
No problem. It’s only the Democrats that are still slobbering over British royalty. Real Americans recognize it as a mental disease.
Really interesting article https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-inside-militarys-secret-undercover-army-1591881?amp=1
H/T divemedic
If you’ve ever thought about going rogue, there is a lot of stuff in the article that is food for thought.
n
Israel/Palestine is such a hopeless mess. Hamas attacks, then hides behind civilians in hopes of earning Israel bad press. What’s a few dead kids, if you can win propaganda points? OTOH, Israel doesn’t help things with their settlements. Plus, Israel’s very existence is an affront to the Arab nations in the area, so they love to throw gasoline on the fire.
There is no solution. There can be so solution, short of the annihilation of one side or the other. Today’s headlines could have been written 40 years ago, or 40 years in the future. Nothing has changed, nothing is going to change.