Another cool and not rainy day. I was going to write “dry” but it’s humid enough that the word ‘dry’ just doesn’t fit. Although with the cooler temps, the humidity is less of an issue. And it still got scalp-scorchingly hot in the mid afternoon when the sun came out.
I actually did a lot of stuff yesterday, but because it was bracketed by chauffeuring daughter 1 around, it felt like an unproductive day. Orthodontist, vet, client, pickup, drop off, school, home, cooking something new, relax, crash, wake…
After all the worrisome behaviour, by bed time puppy Zeus was back to his normal activity level. Still not as eager to eat as usual though, and will be getting extra observation.
Solved my client’s immediate maintenance issue, but further confirmed that we’re not ready for his ‘rip and replace’ upgrade. That is going to have to move up my priority list.
And I need to kick out some more work on my industrial ‘pallet’ auction. I can’t wait too long or I’ll be in the dip between Thanksgiving and February when sales dry up for everything not Christmas related. I missed my window and it sucks because now I’m trying to fit it along side everything else.
Time management skills, I’m lacking them this month.
But what else can you do but keep on plugging away? That’s the secret ingredient for success in most things- keep showing up, keep doing the work.
It’s true for disaster preparedness too. Steady consistent progress, or equally valid, periodic repeated surges of activity, either one will advance you toward your goals.
So keep stacking. Friends, skills, stuff. You’ll need all three and more when the revolution comes.
nick
68F and saturated this morning. Looks like it isn't raining though. No rain in the forecast…
Time to make the donuts.
n
The neighbors aren't happy, but I don't know how much of that is a negotiation tactic and how much is genuine concern. It is millionares vs. billionare. on the ground. Boca Chica, however, is a very small piece of ground.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/Federal-regulators-hear-pros-cons-of-SpaceX-plans-16547020.php
Setting aside the problem of a failed rocket launch, after spending an afternoon driving around the area, I don't see how SpaceX turns the site into a facility on the scale of an international airport without buying out the homeowners. Even a gas station for gouging rental car customers is 45 minutes away.
says more about the baby duck author than she thinks
n
Cons have very interesting people watching. In Texas, the Furry contingent with a core of wealthy A&M alums is always present.
I made a mistake once of cracking a joke about the Furries and their parents' basements in front of the wrong person, and I got quite a lecture about the demographics.
Yup. A&M ring.
The David Lynch "Dune" had awesome production design, and I see the costumes at cons. I also see costumes from the mostly-forgotten Sci-Fi Channel adaptation from 20 years ago, particularly William Hurt's Duke Leto — surprising since there is no legal way to watch the miniseries currently available AFAIK.
(The Sci-Fi adaptation is very good, but they had zero budget since it aired on basic cable as ad revenues started to slide.)
I'm sure we will see "'Aquaman' as Duncan Idaho" costumes next year. Supposedly, the approach the director took with the new film was to center on him as the hero for Part One, probably at the studio's suggestion.
Back when Siskel & Ebert cr*pped on "Dune" opening weekend in the 80s, I remember Siskel handing Ebert what is now an uber-rare original Sandworm toy from the licensed product line for the movie. The studio's expectations were huge.
I wonder what happeneed to the gift. Maybe Chaz Ebert has it in the vault, right next to the pictures/videos of Oprah that keep the former Roger Ebert girlfriend from running for President.
More pussyfication of the military:
Imagine you’re a patriotic youth from say, Montana, and you join up on your 18th birthday. But instead of learning how to fight in combat like all those cool commercials, you show up to basic training and learn MLK show tunes instead.
Where are the high heels?
I like that version. First couple books were a bit punctilious, for lack of a better word, and I never read the rest of them, but I thought Lynch captured the atmosphere.
HBO's version comes out October 22nd, doesn't it? I'm looking forward to it. I'll spend 8 or 10 bucks to watch a streaming version. Might even splurge on a theater visit, if convenient. I'll keep an eye out for the Syfy version, too.
I take it the response to _Foundation_ has been sort of Meh? My friend's Apple doohickey TV thing broke, so I haven't seen it. Probably read it 40 years ago but it doesn't stick in my mind like Dune does.
EDIT : well, that wasn’t hard.
SyFy version, I think
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vYgzyhHTn7E&noapp=1
Tyler Durden cowardice covering for a mainstream reporter.
When I checked last week, the total US death count arguably due to Covid for ages 0-17 was ~500, without any breakdown on co-morbidities.
The vaccines will do more harm in that age group than the virus ever will.
The agenda must be met. The control group must be eliminated.
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/white-house-details-plan-quickly-vaccinate-28m-children-age-5-11
Forbes cover article featuring Dune appeared just prior to the Lynch movie release. Anticipation was a billion-dollar industry with sequels, toys, etc.
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/bare-store-shelves-supermarkets-next-supply-chain-crunch-food-shortages-persist
Lists of specific items. And it looks like the TP shortage is organic and real, if only 60% of orders are shipping to stores.
Packaging is to blame for many of the listed items. Shipping all the printing to China to save money, and shift the eco problems out of the US might not have been a good idea after all. /sarc I'm also betting there are plastic shortages.
And it's not HOARDING. FFS. Hoarding is acquiring quantities of something for the sake of having it, without any intention or only vague intention, of ever using it yourself.
Buying extra to have at home to feed your freaking family is not HOARDING. It's prudent. It's an entirely reasonable reaction to demonstrated failures of the JIT system.
NOT HOARDING. Denigrating and demonizing prudent behavior is counter productive and marks you as a tool.
There may in fact be hoarding going on, but what the article describes is far from hoarding.
Fight back against the othering. It's battlespace prep for confiscation.
n
The dune trailer I watched strongly suggested that it was a retelling from the fremen girl's pov. I'm SO not interested in that.
n
Kyle McLaughlin's career was committed to "Dune" with a multi-film contract which forced him to turn down work during a critical period in the mid-80s, when Hollywood was flush with cash from early home video efforts.
I'll give the director the benefit of the doubt. The studio has an "Aquaman" sequel to sell next year.
The movie only covers the first half of the book, probably up to the point where Duncan Idaho dies defending Lady Jessica.
Ha, ha. The Kamel takes over the charge on climate change. LONG LIVE THE BORDER CRISIS! This should work out well.
Weary. Yes I am.
n
If they CAUGHT that many, the same or more got in.
And while I'm all in favor of the crisis impacting the parasites that refuse to address the will of the people, dumping them into small communities like MV will only impact the year round residents, as the parasite class will just stay away.
n
July 4th weekend, Catholic Charities dumped illegals into the Motel 6 on South Padre Island. We witnessed first hand an obvious immigrant family eating at the Whataburger next door on gift cards.
The father was coughing on the "hacking up a lung" level which quickly got everyone's attention in the dining room. We got out of the restaurant as soon as possible and noticed other families heading across the parking lot.
One thing we learned this summer is that the border region in South Texas is not a very hospitable place to traverse unless you have a vehicle or help. Someone is financing the crossings.
>> 'Does it matter whether we call it a major challenge, a crisis, a big problem?'
Sure it does, it's all about the optics for 2022 and 2024.
Fallback was higher than I thought.
Still: Camel. Nose. Tent.
https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2021/10/20/biden-admin-did-we-say-600-reporting-requirement-we-meant-10000-n423634
And when is $10,000 not $10,000?
see also: structured deposits
Lying cowchip suckers.
wish I had some of those american girl dolls….
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10109363/Supply-chain-crisis-unseen-WWII-bring-disaster-Christmas-Resellers-jack-prices.html
n
Dilbert: Predator Versus Prey
https://dilbert.com/strip/2021-10-20
That time period seems a little sudden to me. Not much stalking time there.
A $250 doll selling for $1000 is a crisis? I guess that kind of story plays well in the suburbs of DC … or some of the neighborhoods around me.
If the Dems successfully pin holiday "misery" on the unvaccinated because a kid can't have a $250 doll or a tiny retro TV playing one program that will get tossed out in a year, there is no hope for this country.
Good God. Get a grip people. Landfill fodder by 4th of July. Arbitrage gold in the mean time.
https://genxgrownup.com/basic-fun-tiny-tv-classics-back-to-the-future-retro-quick-look/
I need to get vaccinated ASAP!
more from the article above.
n
huh, the phrase “the timing on it is very suspect because the administration knows that at this stage, everything that needed to have come in for Christmas is already going to be too late.” didn’t show up bold with strong tags or b tags.
n
I'm surprised it took that long.
My last GTE supervisor had a management philosophy based on Al Pacino's performance in "Scarface".
Things didn't end well for Tony Montana IIRC. They didn't end well for my manager either, but he is still alive.
There’s no doubt the invasion of the U.S. is being financed.
My dollar says Soros is heavily involved. Any takers?
Who knew:
Priorities! Check out this State Department tweet and some of the Biden admin’s disasters might make more sense
International Pronouns Day? WTAF! Who comes up with this shite?
Things that make you say "Hmmm"…
I started to wonder where my latest Joe Bucks (advance on the child tax credit) check got to when the Quicken download last night showed it as already deposited into my bank account.
I have never signed up for direct deposit with the IRS, and the account in question is separate from our regular checking at another credit union, used mainly as a target for my paycheck deposits.
"Space City Weather’s official 2021-2022 winter outlook"
https://spacecityweather.com/space-city-weathers-official-2021-2022-winter-outlook/
Gonna be hot and dry this winter in Texas according to these guys.
They certainly do not have much long term credibility with me. And the Farmers Almanac says bitter cold in Texas late Jan or early Feb.
Lunar New Year and Presidents' Day weekend do not coincide next year, fortunately.
A lot of people are still trying to do infrastructure jobs from home, however.
Because…California…
See Pete, problem solved, next?
California Gov. Newsom issues executive order to address supply chain congestion
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/577621-california-gov-newsom-issues-executive-order-to-address-supply-chain
"Just who is Windows 11 for, anyway?"
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3637054/just-who-is-windows-11-for-anyway.html
"Although it’s being marketed to consumers, Windows 11 is really about helping businesses protect sensitive data."
"For starters, Windows 11 has allowed Microsoft to cut the cord on the 32-bit platform. Windows 11 will be first Windows OS that is 64-bit only. This allows Microsoft to build in more virtualization and containerization security features that cannot be done in the 32-bit platform."
All of the dirvers have to be signed by Microsoft for 64 bit. IIRC Windows 10 32 bit would start with unsigned drivers for legacy application support, but not many consumers had 64 bit Windows prior to Vista.
Some hardcore gamers had Windows XP 64 bit, but that wasn't common.
64 bit also provides additional register space and instruction sets not available to 32 bit code. On Linux, the x32 API bridges the gap for applications dependent on 32 bit integers, but use of the libraries is rare to the point that the API may be dropped from most major distributions and available as a kernel option.
Having read about Costco was out of Charmin TP, I went to my local Rite Aid and bought a package of Ultra 6 = 24 for $6.99.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/a-bomb-cyclone-of-rain-wind-is-headed-to-the-seattle-area/
Oh, fun!
@Rick
I swear I'm getting Alzheimer's. What's the name of that local Weather blog guy? Cliff something The one who questions climate change?
VA cannot, or won't, fix my hearing aid. I suspect something wrong with the electronics module, and the VA agrees, and that is above the VA capabilities. The VA will be sending the device back to the manufacturer. It will take two weeks. Then I have to go back to the VA to get the replacement programmed and synced to the other hearing aid.
I saw on the news this morning that the FTC, FDA, or some three letter agency, is pushing for and hoping to approve OTC hearing aids. The devices are simply too expensive as currently dispensed. There is no reason to not have $100 an ear hearing aids. The current system is gouging by the vendors.
I do not see that as an exclusive proposition. Given that end users are generally ignorant and careless about security issues, introducing more security features helps those users as much or even more.
Here's a data point. I'm moving and cleaning stuff on the back patio. I have one black bin with food in it that was in storage since 2014. Until wuflu it was in a climate controlled space. Roaches got into the bin so I threw out the bags that were paper. 2x 10 pounds of salt. 20# of flour. They were probably ok, but if roaches p!ss, I don't want it on my food.
There were three bags of rice in plastic though.
Hmm. I want to transfer to a bucket and get the bin back for a while, but I should test some to make sure it's still good.
So I made some of the rice. Yummy. No issues. No bugs. Just a plastic bag full of rice. So I put the rice into a bucket and put a gamma lid on it. We'll pull from that bucket for the infrequent times we want rice from scratch.
6-7 years, mostly in a shirtsleeves environment, in the limited airflow bin, in the manufacturers bags and NO PROBLEMS.
That's plenty good enough for me.
n
Since I've been working at home today but outside and moving around, I decided to put some break-in time on a pair of hiking boots. I picked up a nice leather and goretex pair of Lowa boots at Goodwill. They look unworn. New they were probably about $220, but I either paid $20 or $6 – I can't remember if I got them in the regular store or the 'bins'.
They fit well, and are comfortable, but I've got a high arch and a bunion on my left foot, so I like to get a bit more room in them than most people.
So far so good, but they are stiff. I haven't worn leather in a while. With the high tech fabrics and foams breaking in a boot or shoe isn't as important. If you want leather though, you still have to put in some time and effort.
n
Headed back out to drop off some stuff at the auction.
n
"In a First, Surgeons Attached a Pig Kidney to a Human — and It Worked"
https://dnyuz.com/2021/10/19/in-a-first-surgeons-attached-a-pig-kidney-to-a-human-and-it-worked/
And this was predicted by the Margaret Atwood's book "Oryx and Crake (The MaddAddam Trilogy)" published in 2004.
https://www.amazon.com/Crake-MaddAddam-Trilogy-Margaret-Atwood/dp/0385721676//p?tag=ttgnet-20
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
@Rick
Da Cyclone Bomb
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-bomb-cyclone-offshore.html
Found it by asking Google, "Cliff weather blog".
Get those FLASHLIGHTS ready!
60-70 isn't unusual along the Oregon Coast in Winter.
Only CA transplants are going to get freaked out by the prospect of wind/rain of that severity on the coast.
Some of the resorts even featured it in their advertising. "Come experience the majesty of the Winter storms on the Pacific."
"Tesla hits record profit despite parts shortage, ship delays"
https://apnews.com/article/business-california-earnings-elon-musk-tesla-inc-4085ff56d41a3e3e55c31439c7435fc3
"The company said Wednesday that it made $1.62 billion in the third quarter, beating the old record of $1.14 billion set in the second quarter of this year. The profit was nearly five times larger than the $331 million Tesla made in the same quarter a year ago.
Revenue of $13.76 billion from July through September also set a record, but it fell short of Wall Street expectations of just over $14 billion, according to FactSet."
"Some of the quarterly profit, though, came from selling regulatory credits to other automakers. Tesla made $279 million on credits during the quarter. Other automakers buy the credits when they can’t meet emissions and fuel-economy standards."
You gotta admit, Tesla is pumping out the vehicles. And profitably.
I wonder if Musk is going to spend his $20 billion bonus next year in just one place.
And I wonder if Tesla is ever going to hit the demand wall ? How many people want an electric vehicle ?
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
Throw a few whole bay leaves in with the rice. That's how we avoid problems in our bins.
6-7 years is a long time. You want to rotate rice more frequently than that.
That reminds me — it is time to top ours off.
Glad you found Cliff Mass. He's on my daily list. Very knowledgeable. Doesn't like the Seattle Times (your link) – they are very left, and don't let any science get in the way of their opinions. Cliff Mass has proven them wrong many times. But they still use the scare-mongering headlines that have no basis in science. (One such post is https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2021/08/climate-hype-hurts-environment-and.html .)
Winds on the coast do get blustery in fall/winter, as previously mentioned. Part of the 'charm' of the WA/OR coast. Strong winds will also come up through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and up into the islands area, or more often from the SSW up through the Hood Canal into the islands area.
My place ('somewhere opposite Mutiny Bay') is in a slightly protected area, so winds aren't as bad at my house. Can get gusts to 25mph occasionally. Accompanied by some flickering lights at times.
Cliff Mass has a good book on WA weather if you are interested. His blog is always interesting.
What people want is irrelevant. The Feds and states are forcing the issue.
>> What people want is irrelevant. The Feds and states are forcing the issue.
Yeah, but where's Tony's profit for building the EV 'skateboards'?
Tesla isn't going to build the skateboards. That task will fall to Chinese companies we haven't even heard of yet. Assuming we can afford the skateboards.
A friend who bought an Eagle fishing lure when the Mint offered them two weeks ago finally received his shipment notice today.
$2600/ounce physical delivery in two-three *weeks*. My bad.
Just transitory. Nothing to see here.
Meh to savage. I had no problem with them making some characters female or non-white. There are only a handful of characters where their gender has any relevance to the plot and race is never mentioned in the books.
But, there's damn little of the plot of the books in the show from what I have heard. There is also a lot of insertion of flashbacks to things you have already seen – apparently they don't trust the audience to keep the plot straight. Some people that haven't read the books kinda like it, fans generally don't.
In contrast, early reviews of Dune are positive. It's going gangbusters box office overseas, BTW.
Then you just adjust your dump points until…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQRIOKvR2WM
Buy a few of Pelosi's neighbor's houses at now-distressed prices, and tun them into immigrant halfway houses: "Yeah, that's Nancy Pelosi's house across the street. She's a lot of the reason you were able to come to the U.S. Why don't you go over and thank her?"
And don’t forget the Clintons. How many millions did they raise and pocket for Haiti relief? Bus them in at midnight and give them tents.
Someone once said that talking to Ingrid Bergman was like talking to an intelligent orchid. I feel the same way about Condoleezza Rice. Talk about walking softly and carrying a big stick! She is soo diplomatic, and yet so piercingly intelligent. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side.
Didn't George Bush joke that he voted for her for president? I would vote for her in a heartbeat. With Clarence Thomas as VP. 😉
https://twitter.com/TheView/status/1450903533742612487
We've had enough wars for a while. My wife treats 20 years of fallout from the Bush 43/Obama misadventures, and Rice would have started a few more.
The VA is also having serious staffing issues because of the vaccine mandate. The nurses from Austin are being rotated out to a clinic that is halfway to Houston near where 71 and I-10 meet.
"Last Night In Soho" was moved out of the way of "Dune" a few weeks ago.
I'm surprised that "The French Dispatch" wasn't moved as well, but tickets the local Alamo are sold out for screenings of that movie until 10/28.
Yeah, Austin and Wes Anderson, but, still, "The French Dispatch" is a really niche film, much more so than “Last Night In Soho”.
I want to see all three in a theater, preferably Alamo with appropriate pre-show material.
The Alamo pre-show for Edgar Wright’s “Baby Driver” was beyond cool.
Warning: Gun violence in the video, and Mr. Inman is "colorful":
https://twitter.com/SteveInmanUIC/status/1450312933993418758
Here's the background:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5724427/Gunmans-attempted-robbery-families-waiting-outside-school-Sao-Paulo-foiled-mother.html
"courage and precision"
Off to the son's place tomorrow. A two fan water cooler has arrived, replacement motherboard, power supply with long enough cables. Hope the assembly goes well. Dell monitor will not arrive for a month so I acquired a DisplayPort to VGA so I can use my existing monitor.
When the Dell arrives I will continue to use the old monitor as a second monitor.
I have also decided to stay with W10, a change from my previous stance. There are issues with W11 that need to be resolved with other software.
Re: Win11 – I'll probably upgrade a system or two after a few months. Have no desire or need to be a pioneer. I'll wait for things to settle down a bit.
Don't need to get any holes in my shirts.
@RayThompson:
New Kit Makes Building A Gaming PC As Easy As Putting Together A Model – https://kotaku.com/new-kit-makes-building-a-gaming-pc-as-easy-as-putting-t-1847903337
@Ray, the law was passed to allow OTC hearing aids in…oh, let's see…2017.
Just four short years (the blink of an eye in DC fantasy land) later, the FDA has finally gotten around to drafting the necessary regulations.
"The OTC hearing aid legislation was signed into law as part of the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017. It states that the FDA "must categorize certain hearing aids as over-the-counter hearing aids and issue regulations regarding those hearing aids.
But the law was followed by four years of public inaction."
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/19/1047303559/fda-hearing-aid-prescription-over-the-counter
Remember this in 2022 and 2024. Our tax dollars at work! ! !
From a non p-prepping friend just now, here in the California high desert:
Just went to HEB. Bought a 24 pack of Blue Charmin for $24 and a 12 pack of Bounty Doubles for $20. Got everything on my list except cat food and Blueberry Mini Wheats. The stockers were distributing their 20 to 30 pallets around the store and getting ready for a long night.
"A.F. Branco Cartoon – Military Readiness"
https://comicallyincorrect.com/a-f-branco-cartoon-military-readiness/
"Many feel our military is asleep at the wheel while China expands its military, ie Hypersonic missiles. Political cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2021."
Great picture of Gen. Milley and his favorite subject.
"What Renewable Energy Price Shock? UN Urges Fossil Fuel Extractors to Slash Production"
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/10/20/what-european-energy-shock-un-urges-fossil-fuel-exporters-to-slash-production/
"As the USA, Britain, Europe and China reel from a self inflicted renewable energy failures, the United Nations has doubled down on stupid by demanding producers slash production by 45% by 2030, to save the world from global warming."
Just ignore the UN, just a bunch of fools.
Someone always is. I don't understand the economics of it either. Too often, it's politics. The most recent example: Belarus has somehow acquired a whole pile of refugees from Afghanistan, and is piling them up against the EU border.
Somehow, it's supposed to be the EUs fault that the refugees are living in terrible conditions, with Winter coming. The fact that they are, in fact, sitting in Belarus, in said terrible conditions? The journalists don't bother asking that question, nor do they ask just how and why people from Afghanistan wound up there.
Well, maybe not $100, but a lot cheaper than the $5k+ they cost now. I have a set of high-end Sony earbuds that could serve pretty well as hearing aids. They have a mode where they pass in outside sound, so all you need is to provide a volume control and equalizer for that. They're bigger than most hearing aids, but I expect that's more to keep people from losing them. They cost $300. So add custom-fit ear pieces, plus the software changes, and you should still be unter $1k.