Warmish, and a chance of thunderstorms. I really want it to stay dry, but ya can’t always get what ya want… It was warm all day Friday, with patches of sun, and also a bit of localized rain a bit east of my house. Drove through some, but really only a few drops.
I did a couple of pickups that were north of me and close together, then swung down and grabbed one west of me, and completed the loop by getting youngest from school. Then she was getting ready for her dance. Dang kid keeps growing.
Later I hit the chiropractor, then the grocery store. Prices in yesterday’s comments. There continue to be localized sales on stuff, which is a great way to add to the stacks. Pretty sure you have to be in the store to know about it though, so get out and look. I know walmart grocery does manager special markdowns on meat, and Commander Zero has mentioned his store doing it many times. Get it while you can.
Y’all know I’ve been pushing for you to get out and try new ways of buying and selling, and to practice in the secondary economy. Stuff like finding the markdowns is just one reason why. Dickering and making offers is another. Using cash is a good reason too. Get used to carrying and using it. It’s still king.
The auctions have lots of good stuff too, and new reseller storefronts seem to be opening up everywhere. Speaking of which, I won a meat cutting bandsaw last night. It’s not big, and it’s Vevor which is a chinese brand (but one that seems a bit better quality for tools and industrial stuff), but I have wanted one for a long time. I’ll take it to the BOL and park it with my buddy. Maybe some deer or piggy will fall my way next time, if they have a saw to make things easier. Mainly it’s a DEEP prep, and a seed for the future. Hammer price was $105, retail is almost $500 and a quality “real” one sells used at auction for $500-750. I’m hoping it will be money well spent.
Time to get busy selling some stuff too. I could use the cash for my solar project.
It’s always something.
Headed to the BOL after my meeting, I’ll be on a thin pipe the rest of today and tomorrow. Keep both eyes open, stuff could change rapidly… and change spooks people.
Stack what you can, and keep an eye out for ‘wish list’ and ‘like to have’ items, you might get it.
nick
Georgia Libertarians “voting their conscience” and, subsequently, the Republicans in that state staying home during the runoff special election in 2020/21 gave us the current mess in the Senate and, arguably, the Ukraine “war”.
Don’t be fooled by Invictus’ recent whinnying. His handlers let him run free in the pasture and make all the noise he wants, but one step outside his boundaries and he would be off to the rendering plant in a heartbeat.
After six years, the hardware in my home server is starting to show its limits, with 8 GB kinda-sorta no longer being enough with modern Fedora, particularly running a large Java application like Vuze/Azureus.
This APU looks interesting. AMD hasn’t put out an APU at retail with TDP less than 65 W since the Athlon 3000G.
https://www.phoronix.com/review/amd-ryzen-5-8500g
I can expand memory on the current board but at the tradeoff of clock speed on the RAM. With 8 GB, the clock is 2400 MHz and reasonable for most work, but just 16 GB increases the heat with the clock dropping to 2133 MHZ. 64 GB lowers the clock to 1800 MHz which makes the Linux boot and Java startup painful while making the CPU fan spin much faster.
Still, $179 plus a motherboard and RAM. I’ll wait.
Bah. Too early.
Off to my meeting with people. Gah.
Cool and overcast with the sun trying to peek thru in places.
Coffee in the go cup, donuts on the way…
n
Vevor products have no warranty and no parts support. If it worked when you got it, great. When it dies your on your own.
I have a non working $400 wrench; it last just a month. A hanging scale never worked and it took a month to get a refund. Leter figured out that it worked fine if you put the batteries in backwards.
Tried to order an extra remote for a crane – nope, no replacement parts available.
I was watching Forged in Fire last night, a rerun of the 5-part series that featured the winners of blacksmith, armorer, farrier, and modern metalsmith competitions competing in the final show. The level of skill under the time pressure of competition is outstanding.
Dad gave me my first knife when I was eight. It was a Cub Scout knife made by Camillus. Blue scales with the Cub Scout wolf emblem, single locking knife blade, bottle open/screwdriver, and awl. Within a week I got the blade wedged in a stick and twisted, and a half-moon piece popped out. I thought I was in for it, but dad just looked at it and said “It shouldn’t have done that” and got it replaced. Years later I wished I still had the damaged knife, as I had the knowledge and equipment to know what was wrong with the heat treatment and take the measurements to prove it.
The Japanese have been continuously making edged weapons for centuries and have some of the finest knife makers in the world. The premium manufacturers are located in Seki City, where they have been making swords for a thousand years and there are half a dozen makers that have a 200-year history. I bought a set of steak knives in the 1970’s that were made by Maxam, and have used them ever since. They have been properly hand-washed and still look and perform like new.
On of the top-line U.S. manufacturers of knives was Al Mar, named after the owner. Al Mar was a Green Beret, got a degree in industrial design, and worked as head designer for Pete Gerber before starting his own company. From the beginning he had his designs made in Seki City.
Al died in 1992 and Gary Fadden took over the company. Gary continued the tradition of great design and high quality. I have an Eagle Ultralight from that era which is a thing of beauty, with smooth operation and profile slim enough that it would not wrinkle a Speedo.
Sadly, Al Mar was sold in 2019 and manufacturing is now in China. They are still good knives, but not the same, and one red flag is that they have kept the pricing of the older line and are selling the lesser-quality knives at deep-discounts up to 70%.
The Al Mar originals have been going up in price for years, but the Fadden-era knives are still reasonable and offer a good value, particularly if you’re looking for a knife to carry and don’t need a box for your collection.
Those are the chips falling from those who exercised their franchise. Being inveigled into the Capitol J6th stopped planned debate on voting irregularities. Spilt milk now.
I don’t know who the I-person is, either name.
Incitatus was Nero’s horse, which, so the tale goes, became a senator. That’s not what happened but the point to be made remains.
Greg refers to Fetterman as Incitatus.
I wish to point out that Fetterman is talking more sanely, in both senses of “talking”, as he recovers from the stroke.
I should have said “warm and wet” as there was water on the ground. There was enough in the gutter that it must have rained at some point last night. Slippery in the parking lot.
Did my meeting, sold some stuff, now time to load up and head out.
Currently grey and moist, very moist.
n
Incitatus still votes the way the handlers tell him.
I just got my “free to me” tablet with cellular wireless. Given to people as part of the Affordable Connectivity Program. I qualify because of VA benefits, or what they call a pension.
A NUU Tab 8. What a piece of crap. The device is two versions old and is no longer being sold. I suspect that Torch Wireless, who provides the devices, got them from NUU for pennies on the dollar, maybe pennies on the $10.00. Torch Wireless is probably billing the government $100+ each for the devices delivered.
I suppose for those with nothing, it is better than nothing.
Oh, please, there weren’t going to be any debates about voting irregularities in either chamber after the results of the Georgia runoff election were known on the night of January 5.
The device is using the ATT network. The SIM was preinstalled, and I guess activated. There were fingerprints all over the factory protective screen cover. The device is running Android, version 12 and was fully updated. This indicates the SIM installation, activation and Android update were done before the device was ever sent out. A two-version old device would be way behind Android versions. The device does use a USB-A charger but has USB-C on the end that plugs into the device.
Speeds I get on cellular at my location is about 10MBs down, 1MBs up. Speed may be better in a different location. I suspect not as I have full bars for service at this location and ATT has a good reputation for coverage in this area.
The device is slow in screen responses. Not surprising given the specifications. The device is about the size of an iPad mini and I can hold it in one hand.
I did throw away the provided screen protector as those are nothing but trouble and a pain to get the air bubbles out when applying the film.
If I had nothing, was dirt poor, I would be happy with such a device.
It was a beautiful day here – sunny and 80. I worked all morning and then spent four hours putting flora into the ground. It was pretty satisfying.
If you have a weakness for kitchen edge tools, don’t click this link: https://japanesechefsknife.com
I ate some more of my homemade sauerkraut today, and it made me want to do more fermenting. I spent some time browsing recipes for fermenting my own dill pickles.
All the recipes call for grape leaves (or oak, or cherry, or mesquite). They provide tannins which help keep the pickles crisp.
I’ve never seen fresh grape leaves for sale at HEB. Where (and when) would I find them?
Have you checked your area for local grape growers? That might be an option.
I haven’t checked anywhere, and I assume it’s probably seasonal.
Further research shows that oak leaves work too, and bay leaves. So I’ll make my first batch with bay leaves, and we have a live oak in the front yard. I also go to Messina Hof winery regularly. I bet I could talk them out of some leaves in the right season.
I have wild grapes here. Right now they are just vines. Maybe a Greek restaurant can help you.
Oak leaves? Does it matter what kind of oak? By watching the donkey, the different kinds of oaks taste different. He really liked red oak. Live oak and similar not so much. Post oak was ok.
It’ll be interesting to hear how the different leaves change the flavor of your pickles.
Maybe you can buy tannin in a powder? Like, buying saltpeter to make a corned beef?
I think I’ll pass on the homemade sauerkraut. There was a restaurant called Gunther’s at I-35 and Braker. Homemade kraut. All of the food was great, tasted like home and I’ve never been to Germany. That kraut and I didn’t get along. I puffed up and laid (layed)(?) on the sofa face down emitting lots of gas one night. Even had stretch marks. Just stretch marks and gas, no other problems.
I’d be a better Vice President than President. Get the one you want elected and I’m the insurance policy.
And I’d be impeachment-proof because if the House started making noises about impeaching me, I’d go to the Capitol with my knives and remove enough problem children that no impeachment would be possible. Then walk over to the White House to pick up my pre-signed Presidential pardon.
(Did I already say this recently? I could have sworn I did but didn’t see it in Daynote’s last few days. I slept last night, so I’m probably not hallucinating.)
Ooh, sign me up.
The wife got her dad’s 4/3/2 1,867 ft2 townhome cleared out yesterday of all the furniture and stuff. We left the refrigerator / washer / dryer in it, gives the buyer something to start with. All of the appliances work, the wife replaced both water heaters in the last five years. The realtor is evaluating it now for any work needed. Hopefully she will get it on the market next week. It is in a very high demand area, we will list it for $425K or so.
“Exo: A Jumper Novel (Jumper, 4)” by Steven Gould
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Jumper-Novel-Steven-Gould/dp/0765370727?tag=ttgnet-20/
Book number four of a four book science fiction young adult series. Or is it a fantasy series ? I have read this book at least four times now, twice this time. I read the well printed and well bound MMPB published by Tor in 2015 that I bought new from Amazon back in 2015. I sure hope that there is another Jumper book or two in Steven Gould in the near future.
Would you like to be able to teleport ? I have always wanted to be a teleporter. I mean, it is the ultimate for a lazy man.
Davy, Millie, and Cent are all teleporters now. And the crazy violent people are still after them. So they decide to go where the crazy violent people cannot follow them. And, I really enjoyed the technical aspects of the book.
Warning: There are adult situations in this book (and in the series in general). This book has Girl Power ! as its theme and in a very good way.
My rating: 6 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,386 reviews)
The problem with being a habitual liar is that you have to commit most of your lies to memory to keep your tales consistent. When you start to get caught in your lies because the stories change you realize you’re not the smartest sandwich in the picnic basket.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-co-defendant-says-nathan-wade-associate-will-refute-timeline-of-fani-willis-relationship-5584560
There is some inconsistency in the latter two dates, as “began in January 2021” and “stayed together in 2020”, but that may be a typos somewhere.
I commented last week that people in her office were likely privy to some details, and that would taint her whole team. The larger problem is that if people from either Willis’ or Wades office knew about an affair, it’s going to be difficult to keep those people from talking. If there is a credible allegation that the claim of post-election 2022 as a start date was perjured testimony by Wade, it’s likely that the court is going to want Willis’ under oath for her version.
There’s also tales of more trips by the couple floating around, and the potential for more evidence to be dug up.
From the moment the story broke, it has never been a question of ‘if’ the DA resigns but when.
More evidence really doesn’t matter unless the Governor has to step in and fire Willis.
Nothing changes in Atlanta.
Well, almost nothing. CNN did abandon the CNN Center at the end of last year, in favor of returning to Techwood, literally the ol’ plantation house where the network started.
The problem with being a habitual liar is that you have to commit most of your lies to memory to keep your tales consistent. When you start to get caught in your lies because the stories change you realize you’re not the smartest sandwich in the picnic basket.
So, who is this directed at ?
I wanna go back to Dixie.
Take me back to dear ol’ Dixie.
That’s the only lil ol’ place for lil ol me.
Old times there are not forgotten…
The rest of the song is too non-PC to repeat here.
I twisted my dadgum left ankle last night. They serviced my 6 yard dumpster Friday morning and I threw two pickup loads of empty boxes into the dumpster from the office building that we had for some reason. It was nice to beat the neighbors to my dumpster for once. I jumped off my tailgate both times. I woke up this morning hurting.
My tailgate is four feet off the ground since my truck is lifted four inches and I have offroad shocks on it (Ford FX4 package). It used to not be a far distance but I guess it is now. My wife reminded me when I went to her for sympathy that old people don’t bounce, they break. Something I tell her all the time. I am old.
Tom Lehrer is presume?
I still remember every word of that song. Yes, Tom Lehrer.
The sight of the original CNN HQ always makes me think of that song even though Techwood was originally built as a Jewish social club in the 30s.
Driving by the CNN Center will make this one pop into my head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMl6HnhFFIA
The atrium and giant escalator were originally built for the Krofts.
And, yes, the first comment is indeed correct about who directed “The Banana Splits” first season.
@lpdbw
Stuffed grape leaves are part of several cuisines including Greek and Lebanese.
Iowa star Caitlin Clark is now just 39 points away from breaking the all-time scoring record in NCAA women’s basketball history. Her success and popularity have elicited jealousy from former players.
https://www.outkick.com/sports/bitter-sheryl-swoopes-cant-handle-accountability-for-lies-about-caitlin-clark
714 home runs in 2503 games.
Sorry Hank.
(Not sorry Barry, who doesn’t count anyway)
https://pjnewsletter.com/dem-mayor-meltdown-reaction/?utm_source=onramp&utm_medium=email
The town has 21,000 people.
Right next to Harvey, home of the Dixie Square Mall,
The saga of the Dixie Square, filming location of the mall chase scene in “The Blues Brothers”, is Chicago corruption in a nutshell.
>> The problem with being a habitual liar is that you have to commit most of your lies to memory to keep your tales consistent. When you start to get caught in your lies because the stories change you realize you’re not the smartest sandwich in the picnic basket.
So, who is this directed at ?
SloJoe – as referenced yesterday by @nick in his opening post…
Got to the BOL safely. Unloaded some of the truck, got settled in. Got a heavy rain, fell asleep in the Lazyboy. Currently 57F and I’m headed to bed as soon as the dog wants in….
n