Weather in central Florida is supposed to be low 90s today. It’s damp.
Finally got here, despite several ” adventures” which i could have done without. Wrong times, classic horror movie mistake of splitting the party, alternate flights, alternate cities, and driving were all involved.
No time to set up my laptop. I’m posting from my phone, so it’s gonna be short shrift today. Thin gruel. Bologna and white bread sandwiches…
More later, when I can see what I’m writing.
Talk among yourselves, and stack it high.
N
Once OSHA issues the rule regarding vaccination mandates for private businesses, any HR department with responsibilities in Texas will spend the rest of their careers in appeal hearings.
Everyone seems to get a hearing. And this is just one state with a "blue" bureacracy regardless of who is Governor or controls the Legislature.
Think the Governor is going to call a special session between now and November?
No one did the "Snozberries" routine during the filibuster?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWXw8hZHKsE
Yes, I contributed to the Kickstarter for the second movie.
The local middle school spent this summer gutting the plexiglass classroom dividers which the school district installed last summer.
God knows how much money was wasted.
Our school district has a bad enough problem with wasting money on nonsense.
Didya make the mistake of buying the publicity that Orlando-Sanford was "convenient" to the park and convention center area.
A rail link on Sunrail to the main Orlando airport would be a easy project, but a variety of special interests keep that from happening.
I'm sure the school, in the interests of saving the planet and reclaiming some money, threw all the plexiglass into the dumpster. That stuff could sell!
You think your school district is special? Anytime you get multiple people involved with a government process the waste is always present. People doing stupid things because they are not qualified to make decisions.
Most school board members are not there because they have a noble calling, most are there because no one else wants the job. The hassles, the abuse, the expenditure of time are not something that many people desire.
I got asked to run for mayor of my small town. Probably could have won. But for a $50.00 a month stipend I have better things to do with my life. I have seen the abuse placed on the mayor and the city council. Same thing happens at the school board meetings.
A parent is angry because her little Johnny who functions at the level of a three year old, wears diapers, will never improve, is not placed in regular classes, given private rides to and from the school, is not allowed to be a cheerleader or participate in football. All the fault of the school board. The parent feels the school must spend an inordinate amount of resources and money because little Johnny is so deserving and making so much progress. How dare the board single out little Johnny as being different?
I have seen other parents angry because the county does not need a new high school. Why these parents got through 8th grade just fine and there "tain't no need to go further" as they grin through the seven teeth in their mouth.
Some people want a single mega high school so there will be a powerhouse football team. A school where some bus rides would be more than 90 minutes each way. A school where many get lost in the crowd. Others want separate schools as currently exist. Lot of duplication but better individual learning.
The board sits in the middle of all the bickering. There is no one decision that will please all the people. To be subject to abuse regardless of a decision that must be made is just not worth the time and trouble.
See bullet points:
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/10/where-we-are-now-3.php
It is the God given right of every Texas male high school student to play football, if he so desires, in an $80 million HOK-designed stadium, complete with luxury boxes and club seats.
The ISD has other ways of p*ssing off money in Texas, but that is the one that gets the pork-laden bond issues on the ballot in the special election typically held on Saturday morning with voting from 9-12 noon.
I have seen some of those stadiums in Texas. Especially in North Texas around the Dallas Mega Area. Many of those stadiums far exceed what the community colleges and lesser known universities with football programs provide. Massive facilities.
A tremendous amount of money spent to build, and maintain, those structures. Money that would be better spent in the education system. Some of those stadiums cost more than building five new schools in my county. But football brings in money, a lot of money. I am certain there is a lot betting on high school teams in Texas.
Good football teams. With many of the players functionally illiterate. Moved from grade to grade to just get rid of them. Many passed to other grades because they can play football but can barely write their own name. A few go on to college or universities where they still remain functionally illiterate. Some earn a degree with a few moving on to the pros. Big hulking masses of muscle with few functioning brain cells.
Where they are taken advantage of by dishonest agents. Used and abused by "friends". Many retire and within a few years are penniless having squandered their money on stupid stuff as they have no concept of money. Unable to get a real job because their mental capabilities are somewhere around the third grade where the intellectual system abandoned them because they are athletes.
Given the overwhelming evidence that the money would just be wasted, in pretty much any school system pretty much anywhere, I'd say the money would be better left in the taxpayers' pockets.
@Ray
A tremendous amount of money spent to build, and maintain, those structures. Money that would be better
spent in the education system.returned to the taxpayer.fixed it for ya.
(edit – damnit Steve – just beat me. Great minds)
I solved that on my laptop with Ctrl –
Haven't found a solution yet on my iPad or my Android phone.
Now that Apple is taking up residence on real estate immediately adjacent to our ISD's big budget performing arts center, the talk has started about building another similar facility to actually accommodate, you know, student activities instead of Apple corporate functions. Imagine!
I don't know who architects those spaces, but the hall is as nice as what the founding family of Eckerd Drugs built for the City of Clearwater 40 years ago. Of course Apple will take advantage.
I would advocate spent on and in the education system. Better facilities. Better teachers through better pay. Better equipment. It is an investment in the future. As a sub I see the lacking of facilities, education resources, etc. Especially in the trades programs. Purchasing up to date machines rather than cast off equipment that companies are upgrading. Give the machine to the school, take a massive tax right off, for a machine that is punctually out of date and worn out.
My brother (former submariner) sent me a link to the Connecticut incident, and added:
They say they don't know what she hit–I guess when a Russian or Chinese sub comes up missing later this week they'll know.
Me: Andrei… you've lost another submarine?
Brother: There seems to be nothing these days, that man can contrive, that the US Navy can't avoid hitting.
Brother: It was a communication breakdown between sonar and the control room, the sonar tech actually said "Git!"
@lynn, in case you haven't seen this…
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2292543-drug-treatment-for-lyme-disease-could-lead-to-its-eradication/
Thought I would try a comment on my phone. Samsung galaxy a32 5g.
Works fine.
Can even edit after submit.
>"They say they don't know what she hit–I guess when a Russian or Chinese sub comes up missing later this week they'll know."
There is the possibility that China is inventing ways of removing our subs from the South China Sea without it being obviously an attack and without causing deaths. It will be interesting to see what the results of the inspection are, if they are ever published.
@Lynn – Looks like Jimbo will get another year in College Station. The downside is that they are still tallying the losses from his four years as head coach in Tallahassee.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/we-are-all-sinners-urban-meyer-s-wife-addresses-video-n1281090
Another day, and plugs answers no questions. All is hunky-dory except for that darn COVID which is responsible for all of plugs' failures. No mention of tRump, though:
Damage control! Biden tries to explain why the jobs report isn’t abysmal (and guess what’s to blame for the bad news)
plugs: "I crushed the economy with my stupid mask and vax mandates out of the gate. But look at how good I'm coming back! Best economy evah!"
So, Windows 11 doesn't work all that well on AMD. Patch promised. What a coincidence! I wonder what Intel paid MS to introduce that bug…
Nah, Just a regular bug when Mickeysoft tried to use a processor specific feature and did not check for it first.
https://www.laptopmag.com/news/microsoft-and-amd-reportedly-working-on-next-gen-arm-processor-for-windows-laptops
Where are the OSHA rules?
Based on my recent experience with TWC, I don't see how the vaccine mandate for private employers doesn't turn into an endless series of appeal hearings for any HR departments firing employees based in Texas who refuse the shot(s).
Everyone gets one hearing at a minimum.
Pearls Before Swine: Motivational Poster
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2021/10/08
Yup, that is the motivation to lay down and die.
I received my annual notice of rent due today. Do I go ahead and pay the property taxes next week while the weather is nice or wait until January and go bundled up like an Eskimo for that sweet sweet extra 2 or 3¢ interest?
Decisions, decisions…..
The last time I had fluorescent tubes for the trash, I put them in a feed sack, closed the end, and whomped on the bag a couple of times. Shook the remaining tubes into the bag and repeated the process. Folded it up and into another feed sack. Because "glass".
UPS batteries are an unknown. The local recycling place pays low enough for car batteries that the batteries are worth more for the core charge when you need a new battery.
Folks talk about using wheel weights for casting bullets. What about the lead in old batteries?
I stagger my property (rent) taxes. This year I paid 2020 taxes in January and will pay 2021 taxes in December. Next year I will defer 2022 until January 2023. That way I am doubling up tax payments in every other year. That allows me to deduct some of the taxes one year. Paying the taxes each year and I fail to get any deduction.
Considering buying a new truck battery for the Ram.
It was built in October of 2018, sat on a lot in Victorville until September of 2019, has been mine since then.
Three years of hot & cold desert weather is hard on a battery, though I haven't had any issues.
I’m thinking that with supply chain issues waiting may not be a good idea.
Autozone has battery testing equipment. I've never had them do a hard sell on a new battery, even when I really needed one.
I don't think the crew at the nearby store likes dealing with the old batteries.
If your truck uses something rare, double check the manufacturing date on the new battery and make sure it hasn't been sitting in the store for a while.
>>But, ya see…no worries about concussions!
Understood. We don't have enough deductions to make it worth the effort.
Quick lunch break. Singing our National Anthem as a young testifier let her time run down to zero is being reported by our largest paper and local media as an angry disruptive outburst.
I love listening to the ineffectual gavel pounding as the voices swell in the final stanza.
https://youtu.be/YwHrjBHu8Ok
The local AutoZone is staffed with young women. NO clue about cars. Zero.
But the prices are decent and they are friendly. The killer was when I had a battery die, well within warranty, and they said their computer system doesn't show we ever bought a battery.
Like…. Stratus, Red Truck, White Truck, Yanmar, riding mower, Tan Jeep, Red Jeep, current Jeep. Add on a Cordoba and an Imperial and a few more vehicles. Same phone number….
I go to NAPA now. Right on the other side of Dairy Queen. Higher capacity batteries and lower prices. The guys are helpful.
It's a toss up between Walmart and NAPA for batteries. Figure gas and time to and from Walmart, NAPA wins. Never mind the auto section folks at Walmart really don't seem to give a s#!t about much more than "when's break time?". But that's Walmart…..
Well depending on weather ( t storms headed this way) we might be done for the day.
Did all the star wars stuff at Disney studios today. Pretty dang cool.
After dinner we might go back and catch some fireworks.
Or early bed.
N
I always keep the battery receipt with the car.
The local AutoZone is within extreme walking distance if it came to that. I've used them since we moved to Texas.
I don't use them for anything else, however.
I should probably check to see who made the current battery, it is obviously good for at least three years – my last walmart purchase lasted less than two.
So the short version of my travel day is as follows. Had a bunch of stuff to do and we were a little bit late leaving the house for the airport. Wife had the time wrong by 20 minutes the wrong way. So we arrived at the airport at exactly doors open boarding starts .
With checking my bag and trying to get to the gate my wife and one daughter went through pre-check and made it just before they closed the gate but I and my other daughter did not .
My bag actually made it on the flight which was great. But D2 and I ended up taking a confirmed flight to Tampa and driving a rental car from Tampa to Orlando. Instead of arriving around 9 PM in Orlando we arrived in Orlando at about midnight.
But we got here and despite all the trials and tribulations we were in the park first thing this morning for the Star Wars rise of the rebellion attraction. And it was pretty cool.
The park is enforcing proper mask wearing inside anywhere- rides, for stores, restaurants included. They are not requiring masks outdoors.
There are a few people wearing masks outdoors and most people are wearing the mask properly indoors.
N
@Nick: Enjoy. You work hard, you deserve a break!
For all of my griping, when we moved to near Burnet in 1992, there was a tiny and dirty HEB, a Super S Grocery Store, a Sonic, and Storm's for hamburgers. One drop quarters to spray your carwash. Hoover's was the lumber/hardware store and proud of what they sold. Burnet County Supply, on the courthouse square had better prices and didn't treat me like I was an idiot when I had questions about anything. And man, I had some stupid questions. "City Slicker" 🙂 And they would tell me so and give me the answer.
Several small and excellent restaurants and if your were not there by 7PM, well, you better hit one of the grocery stores before they closed at 8PM.
One traffic light.
Now there is a McDonalds that somehow was there long enough to be razed and rebuilt from scratch a couple of years ago. A Starbucks next door. WhatABurger. The current HEB is pretty nice and will serve for another 20 years if not longer.
Out towards Marble Falls, Taco Bell, Mr D's (fish), Burger King, and Golden Chick.
Other than the Mopar dealer, all of the car dealers moved to Marble Falls. Said town now has a Super WalMart, a Lowes, and a Home Depot.
Once upon a time, if you couldn't find what you needed in Burnet or at the ACE in Marble Falls, it's a trip Austin, to Furrow's on Lamar, near US183. Or Stripling Blake for weird stuff.
Good times.
I don't recall who made the battery in my new truck. In the US. It's on the label. I can look it up. Nissan gives it an 84 month warranty.
Which, considering my '96 Stratus that I bought in '98, seems about right. I had the Stratus for six plus years before the battery went wonky when the car was pushing ten years old. The next battery lasted about five years.
Huh, It might be worth the expense and hassle to to replace it with a Nissan battery when it is time. Seven years warranty and I might buy two before I'm to feeble / old to drive.
Just planning ahead. It's like having the roof covered with metal. A perhaps 20 year roof life with asphalt shingles compared to "forever" for an extra grand? Duh.
We skip MCO in favor of TPA every time.
I'm not really thrilled with the new rental car arrangements in Tampa, but the Orlando TSA is a trainwreck.
The thing to be aware of in Tampa is the sticky fingers in the luggage screening which takes place in what will eventually be the train station directly east of the main terminal.
High School Student Arrested For Unprovoked, Violent Attack on 64-Year-Old Wheelchair-Bound Teacher (VIDEO)
Social media challenge or assault and battery?
Anchorage is providing lots of entertainment.
Public hearing cancelled tonight because two vaccinated people on the dais tested positive and now all the folks on the dais are considered exposed and have to go thrutesting and quarantine procedures.
Plus our antics were picked up as mostly satire by Red State (name of author is coincidental)
https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2021/10/08/an-anchorage-alaska-assembly-protest-proves-domestic-terrorist-is-becoming-the-new-deplorables-n453911
Huh, unable to connect to the free WiFi here, so tomorrows post is likely to be short too.
Got our downpour. Staying in and early to bed so we can get up early for the avatar attraction tomorrow.
@Jenny, sounds like some good monkey wrenching.
Alinski said your tactics should be ones your troops enjoy….
N
Holy Cow! Now that's a battery!
Sing it sister!
Ahem.
>>Thought I would try a comment on my phone. Samsung galaxy a32 5g.
Works fine.
@Rick, how does one select text in the RTE to apply a style or blockquote?
>"They say they don't know what she hit–I guess when a Russian or Chinese sub comes up missing later this week they'll know."
There is the possibility that China is inventing ways of removing our subs from the South China Sea without it being obviously an attack and without causing deaths. It will be interesting to see what the results of the inspection are, if they are ever published.
Deep sea Caltrops. Of course, the south China Sea is only 200 ft deep IIRC.
Freefall: AI Driving Cars
http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff3700/fc03655.htm
So his theory is that once AI driving cars get real good, people will just jaywalk everywhere, expecting the AI to avoid them. Yup, probably true.
Now there is a McDonalds that somehow was there long enough to be razed and rebuilt from scratch a couple of years ago.
That is how you deep clean a McDonalds.
There is no special technique; just the normal technique used on the device to select text. Click/drag with mouse on desktop/laptop. And whatever the equivalent is on a phone.
It's all browser-based, so however you do it in the browser on your device. The area is just another 'input' type field in a form, although it is in an iframe on some devices. But shouldn't be any different in how you would select text anywhere else on that device.
And surprisingly none are declared superfund sites.
"Elon Musk: US Nationwide Starlink Rollout Is Coming This Month"
https://www.pcmag.com/news/elon-musk-us-nationwide-starlink-rollout-is-coming-this-month
"But if you're in an area already full of Starlink users, don't expect availability until SpaceX launches more satellites."