Warm and humid, overcast, possibly clearing later, or possibly raining. No one knows. We did get a little dusting of moisture from the sky yesterday afternoon. Just an occasional spot hitting my face as I walked across the parking lot, or unloaded stuff at home. The national forecast has us possibly getting rain today and this weekend.
I’m really hoping for no rain at the BOL, as we’ll be there and so will 5 of D2’s friends. It’ll be pretty crowded and intense if we’re all in the house all weekend…The forecast looks like the BOL is right on the edge of the weather, and at home that almost always means we don’t get the bad stuff.
Yesterday I mostly did domestic bliss in the morning, and shopped and cooked in the afternoon and evening… which was fine as dinner was a success, with everything coming out as planned. Even got to use my cast iron to sear the seafood, and if my “winging it” sauce was a little bit salty, it still tasted nice and worked well with the scallops.
I ended up getting my wife an OLED nintendo Switch. I went for an “amazon renewed” version in white as I saved $60 which is a significant percentage… I hope I don’t live to regret that, but it looks great so far.
Now that the anniversary stuff is out of the way, I can do a couple of pickups today, then load up for the BOL. Me, D1, and the dog are headed up today to make sure everything is ready for D2 and her friends. We’ll do her birthday when we get back, with just family. I need to giftwrap her presents today, so they’re ready.
I should also hit Lowes while I’m out and get a few more plumbing things for the irrigation system, which might not be working again. This time I’m going to change the angle of the intake pipe, and try to make it float, so the end can’t get stuck down in the silty lakebed. Some McGivering might be in order.
All in all, my day looks pretty ordinary. You’d never know I was a subversive threat to the nation, just because I want honest government, and more self reliance, while opposing immigration, and decrying the increase in crime and criminality. Why I’ve even started a garden without registering it.
The world is getting crazier by the day, and the violence is already getting started for the summer. BLM had some good ol’ new fashioned whitey hate, and race rioting, this summer seems to be going with the old standby of Jew hatred, along with two-faced P-islam…shouting that they’re the religion of peace and if you don’t believe them, they’ll kill you. Coming soon to a city near you.
Get your stacks built. Learn some skills. Meet with likeminded people. It’ll be getting a lot worse before it starts getting better.
n
Just finished the Bitter series by V. Moody. I don’t remember if Lynn has rated this?
I couldn’t really get into the author’s series “How to avoid death on a daily basis”, possibly because I found the main character very unlikable. However, the Bitter series is really good – it was difficult to put them down. I wish there were more books, but the series ended pretty definitively. Which is also nice, and unusual.
– – – – –
On a completely different topic: modern cars. Our Ioniq-5 has – like most modern cars – lots of plastic. Damaged the underside of the front bumper, and now all sorts of plastic pieces are literally falling apart. I’m holding the whole mess together with a bunch of packing tape. I’m sure a repair will be four digits, how fun.
On a car with a metal bumper, there would be some scratches and a dent.
California has laws prohibiting non-compete clauses going back to gold rush days, and the tech companies have been dealing with the situation of defecting talent going back to “The Traitorous Eight” and beyond.
The modern tech companies are more likely to move cautiously to avoid justified anti-trust investigations and collusion accusations leveled at the HR departments.
The tech companies also had the H1B numbers increased significantly by Corn Pop following the pandemic.
Reading a couple of articles about this, apparently non-compete clauses are out of control. Work for fast-food restaurant, and your contract may prohibit working for some other fast-food joint. These agreements have become a way of binding hapless workers to their workplace.
Even for tech companies, it’s fairly rare for an employee to have really valuable, transportable knowledge. Ideas are cheap. It’s implementations that are expensive. If they take code with, or hardware, or some other actual property – that’s theft, and there are laws to cover that case.
My first mortgage in 2001 was 7.75% at 30 years. I think I was .5% higher because it was an FHA loan. I refinanced a couple years later to somewhere around 6.5% for 15 years. I aggressively paid extra on that loan. By 2010, when we we decided to move to our current house, I only had 30k or so left on the mortgage. The sale netted us enough for 20% down on this house.
Re: non-compete
Alabama is a right to work state, so any employer can pound sand if they ask me to sign one.
In fact, my current employer did ask. We were purchased 6 years ago by a fortune 500 company. There was a request sent out to fill out a non-compete. I ignored it and never heard anything else about it.
The non-competes in this country are not necessarily to prevent defections to a competitor since the tech companies in the US don’t really compete with each other anymore. They are more intended to intimidate and keep critical knowledge from simply walking out the door as management at many places grows increasingly inept and dismissive of their key players with popular memes out of B-school “thought” such as labeling individuals as “on the spectrum”.
Keep ’em down on the farm.
The non-competes are, however, very effective in fields in the US such as medicine and, probably more important to the politicians, law.
That said, my last three jobs could be best described as “stupid tricks with libcurl”. While I couldn’t take source code with me, it wouldn’t be hard to re-create core routines from scratch and implement the functionality elsewhere. I don’t stay with my current employer out of any sense of loyalty, but, as long as I’m paid sufficiently, the competition isn’t that much different beyond the name on the door.
Employees who simply walk can be devastating for even the biggest tech players.
Ask IBM and Apple why the ThinkPads at Big Blue weren’t replaced with MacBooks like they announced in a huge splashy way about a dozen years ago.
I know the answer to that question.
When I signed up with Bigcorp they not only wanted a non-compete, they wanted a complete list of any IP I might have been thinking about or have developed. On the one hand, they’d argue that protected us both from a claim on their part that it was developed on their time, and therefore belonged to them, on the other, it was a fishing expedition for ideas and stuff they could steal by saying “oh, yeah we’ve been looking at that for a while now.”
—–
70-something this morning with a medium overcast. A bit of a chill wind blowing in small gusts suggests the front might be approaching. Hope not. I’ve got stuff to put in the back of the pickup truck.
n
The first time home buyer tax credit passed under Obama in 2009 along with the creative financing which was available at the time put a price floor of ~ $240k under most of the housing stock in major metros in the US.
Corn Pop wants to repeat the credit but with $400 a month over two years, which would effectively install a floor of $300k.
Real estate prices in the US have factored in some kind of credit happening as promised during the 2020 campaign so expect a bill this year to buy votes.
Harris poll:
Americans support mass deportations of illegal aliens
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2024/04/26/mass-deportations-n3787220
January 2025
Trump issues executive order prohibiting unregulated money transfers to countries that do not maintain high standards of financial regulation.
Then declare that countries not accepting repatriation of their citizens are not in compliance.
Oh, yeah: All illegal entries from border states can be repatriated back across that border.
So tired of Mexico. Send ten million south, destabilize the country, and carve it up.
Not happening. Even hardcore conservatives would get squishy as footage started hitting the wires of little kids crying as they were forced on buses headed south.
Even hardcore conservatives would get squishy
–nope.
n
“Not happening. Even hardcore conservatives would get squishy as footage started hitting the wires of little kids crying as they were forced on buses headed south.”
Anyone in charge with a RTIQ will start with the young men of military age.
And anyone that doesn’t like it can pony up their own money and home. Democrats in public office first.
Sarah Hoyt has some interesting things to say today.
https://accordingtohoyt.com/2024/04/25/the-small-subtle-poisons/
n
Subbing today, also did Wednesday. Will do so again on Monday.
There is one student that is really a problem. Interrupts the class, lies, and multiple other items to draw attention and disrupt class. He will not be in school next year as he is being thrown out of the school for his behavior. I had it out with him and threw him out of the class.
I will be subbing in the same class on Monday. I have been told that I am to escort the student to the office where they will remain for the entire period. There is some consideration among the staff to escort him to the office first thing in the morning and leave him there all day.
His father had no idea his son was causing the trouble. The father demanded that his son remain in the school for the remainder of the year. Some policy forced the schools to comply. But next year is different. I don’t know if it is the student’s age or some other factor.
There is a third period, which spans lunch, called PBL which is Project Based Learning. Generally environmental and social issues of which most students are clueless or have been fed the koolaid. Based on some of what I have seen it is more of a worthless effort by most students. Something to kill time.
@ray
had it out with him and threw him out
I’m sorry Ray, because I know it’s not the least bit funny. But I laughed. All I could hear in my hand was the (I assume) familiar bit of comedy – ‘shame throwing out a perfectly good white boy’
The Fall is my heaviest teaching load, but only one more time before retirement. The trade school is looking love ke my post-retirement entertainment. I’ve agreed – starting January – to take over the final year English class.
Which sounds crazy, but the school says: no grammar, nothing formal, they know all that. Talk and get them talking, preferably about something technical. May be amusing…we’ll see.
I wrote to Moeck regarding the bass recorder I recently purchased from Shop Goodwill auction site. I sent them the model number (hidden inside the instrument) and a photo of the instrument in its case.
They wrote back within a day or so.
The bass is made of pear wood, in their Meisterstück series which they produced until the early 1970’s They estimate the age of the instrument to be 55-60 years.
I‘ll print the email and tuck it in with the instrument for posterit, plus it’s in my notes I keep on all my instruments.
Kind of a fun way to start the morning.
Based on this info, I did well with my auction bidding.
True, but laugh away. I am not the only one that has issues with the kid. Every teacher that has him in class has the same issue. Why he was not put in alternative school long before this is a mystery. Lesser infractions, such as cell phone use, results in alternative school. What this student is doing is much more disruptive and annoying.
There is only about three weeks of school left and the natives are really restless. The senior’s last day is May 4 so they have even less time. But most of the seniors are OK as they have grown up. The really difficult students are the freshman. The student in question is a freshman. He will not be a sophomore at this school.
When I talked with him to find out his problem (a mistake on my part) he said he was going to drop out next year. Was working at McDonalds and will continue to do so. He is too young to work at McDonalds which fits in with his constant lying. He stated that I called him a “retard” on multiple occasions and was going to report me. Both lies.
He comes from a home with only one parent, his father. His father works long hours and the child is basically on his own most of the time. The child should have been removed from the home years ago but TN DCS is a joke. Another department that employs the unemployable and are only concerned with keeping their jobs. Actually doing work is not a high priority.
“Better Off Dead”. Part of the sacred Savage Steve Holland 80s trilogy.
What’s really interesting is who delivers that line in the movie.
You do know that Little Ricky, Dan Schneider, grew up to be at the center of the “Quiet On Set” controversy.
My sister-in-law stripped at least once for Schneider in her Vegas days.
My kids will shout across the house “I want my two dollars!!” and “Fruanch fries, fruanch dressing…”
n
Pedo rumors have floated around Schneider for a long time. He made a lame non-apology a while back for CYA.
I only remember him from “Head of the Class” with Howard Hesseman.
D4 and I binged out Fallout.
We liked it. Renewed for S02.
@Greg
@Nick
Best. Movie. Ever. My 12 year old regularly quotes it.
I REALLY hope it hits the big screen again – so many of that era have been in theaters recently my hope isn’t impossible. We’re going to see Alien this weekend.
The “Better Off Dead” 40th anniversary isn’t until next year. “One Crazy Summer” the year after that.
The Baby Murray is in “One Crazy Summer”, and the poster hangs in the brothers’ Caddyshack restaurant in Florida so I imagine something will happen with the trilogy in 2026 assuming the principals are still alive.
BTW, we were really disappointed in the lack of memorabilia in the Rosemont Caddyshack restaurant. We stopped on our way out of O’Hare driving to Wisconsin last Fall.
@Jenny – If you and your husband have really dark senses of humor, I recommend the Baby Murray’s “God Bless America”. Put the kid to bed, however.
That poster also hangs in the restaurant in Florida. I think we were the only people in the place who had seen that flick.
Fathom will have the 45th anniversary of “The Muppet Movie” in June.
Often forgotten is that Paul Williams wrote the songs at the height of his fame so it is an important slice of 70s movie and music history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZLdcHczZo4
The frog singing that Paul Williams song never stops being magic.
My sister in law used to channel a look similar to Tia Carrere in “Noble House” as her stripper persona. I’ve heard varying stories that Schneider was either a regular or a one-off, but she wasn’t going for underage with that presentation so maybe he wasn’t a regular.
What sucks is that I think Schneider’s input was the missing creative element in the reboot of “I, Carly” which ran on Paramount Plus over the last few years.
This is your POTATUS:
Biden tells Howard Stern women would send him ‘very salacious’ photos in the 1970s, was the ‘runner-up’ scorer in college football and saved six people from drowning in bizarre Howard Stern interview
plugs suffers from dementia and it is only getting worse.
@Greg
Thanks, I have come to appreciate dark humor more as our societal mores and values fall.
I didn’t appreciate The Muppet Movie when it was released, and cringed at the frog singing. BUT, I‘m mumble years older and am willing to give it another chance to captivate. I did love The Muppet Show.
——-
Added
That’s much better than I remember. Looking for tickets now….
Re: non-compete
Alabama is a right to work state, so any employer can pound sand if they ask me to sign one.
In fact, my current employer did ask. We were purchased 6 years ago by a fortune 500 company. There was a request sent out to fill out a non-compete. I ignored it and never heard anything else about it.
You don’t go after the employee, you go after the new employer. You go after the deep pockets that “stole” your critical employee.
D4 and I binged out Fallout.
We liked it. Renewed for S02.
I liked it. Kinda. Just so freaking weird.
Yeah, the future is bright for a minute and then life sucks for everyone not living at Ground Zero. Lots of one eyed people, mental telepathy, etc. And not in a good way.
xkcd: Earth Formation Site
https://xkcd.com/2925/
Cute.
Explained at:
https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2925:_Earth_Formation_Site
In medicine and law, they do go after the employee.
After the firing, the tolling company tried to get me to sign a severance agreement with, among other insults, a “non-disparagement” clause buried in the text, something I had never seen before. Maybe it is a European thing.
Austrians. Big Smile! Again, in my experience, about half of whites secretly want to be Rolf Gruber, blowing the whistle which will result the family being loaded into the boxcars bound for the ovens.
I’ll reserve my right to call the management boneheads.
Two whole weeks salary. The head of HR was a quota hire from WalMart store management and was shown the door herself within a year.
Pearls Before Swine: Man-Eating Octopus
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2024/04/26
Yup, English is hard for the native born. I pity people who learned English not immersed in the culture.
“The harsh military reality of the situation in Gaza”
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-harsh-military-reality-of-situation.html
“My hunch is that part of the reason for Western protests about Gaza is a total failure to understand what urban war is, and what it looks like, and people are horrified to see it. Totally understandable. Now couple that to a powerful disinformation campaign that exploits those feelings of horror and tells them what they’re seeing and can’t comprehend (urban war) is something else (genocide).”
“As a commander in Afghanistan on my first two tours, which were before the “counterinsurgency” era, I saw my job as being to apply maximum violence to kill the enemy legally within rules of engagement. If I had a Harrier or an A-10 or an Apache to call on, I’d use that as a first option. If not, I’d use mortars or Javelin or machine guns if I had them. Only as a last resort would I commit my rifle sections.”
“That’s war. And that’s what Israel is fighting, on a far more brutal scale. Hamas and the surrounding Iranian proxies are an existential threat to Israel’s existence as a country. It’s that which people in the West fail to understand. We’re used to expeditionary wars of choice on the other side of the world. Israel has kibbutzim 5km from where their troops are fighting. The IDF in Gaza can look over their shoulders and see their home. It’s a totally different perspective on war from the one we in the West are used to.”
War is hell. There is no other war type. Anything else is just an ineffective police action.
“Biden’s EPA Says Sweeping Power Plant Regs Won’t Harm America’s Grid — Experts Are Saying The Exact Opposite”
https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2024/04/25/bidens-epa-says-sweeping-power-plant-regs-wont-harm-americas-grid-experts-are-saying-the-exact-opposite/
You know, the liberals believe anything that their token scientists say. And the liberals deny everything that the real scientists who built the current world say. That makes for easy choices for conservatives. But uneducated masses follow the liberal scientists who would be drummed out of any real University say. It is an enigma.
Another lovely spring day in the high desert, a second consecutive day of winds in the 40s and gusting into the 50s.
We are starting to see saltation, stuff striking the windows, nearly 3′ above the ground (this is actually rather rare because the normal winds clear away the lighter debris).
“VW Plant In Chattanooga Votes To Joins UAW: First Time In The South”
https://www.carpro.com/blog/vw-plant-in-chattanooga-votes-to-join-uaw-first-time-in-the-south
“The UAW calls the vote a historic victory, as Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win their union. You can see the results of the election at uaw.org/vwvote.”
“ERCOT launches new planning efforts as 2030 load growth projections soar 40 GW in a year”
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ercot-transmission-planning-2030-load-growth-projections/714104/
“The growth is being fueled by a range of sectors, including artificial intelligence, data centers, industrial electrification, hydrogen and electric vehicles, said ERCOT President and CEO Pablo Vegas.”
“In total, ERCOT anticipates about 152 GW of new load by 2030.”
Uh, where is the power generation going to come from ? The current peak demand in ERCOT is 81 GW. That is growth of 187% of power demand in just six years. Not gonna happen.
“EROCT had 1,775 active generation interconnection requests totaling 346 GW as of March 31, according to Vegas’ presentation. Solar represents 155 GW of the queue, followed by 141 GW of battery storage, 35 GW of wind and 15 GW of gas.”
OK, none of those are 24x7x365 power. At best solar and wind are 20% capacity, battery is 10% capacity (and has to recharge daily), and the natural gas combustion turbines are limited to 10% capacity for their emergency usage EPA permits. I see no base load power plants here. And 12 GW of coal units in Texas are due to close in the next 10 years.
Doesn’t that plant make the EVs?
I’ve seen one of those rolling around my neighborhood, and we have some serious EV fanboys living around here. I’ve seen more Rivian EVs than VWs.
That plant won’t be long for this world.
In related news …
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60621256/ford-ev-revenue-losses-q1-2024/
If Ford is losing $130K per EV they sell, wouldn’t it be cheaper to eliminate the marketing expenses and just GIVE them away?
“Air Products announces plans to build network of commercial-scale multi-modal H2 refueling stations”
https://h2-tech.com/news/2024/04-2024/air-products-announces-plans-to-build-network-of-commercial-scale-multi-modal-h-sub-2-sub-refueling-stations/?oly_enc_id=8020E7639790J0C
“Air Products announced it intends to build a network of permanent, commercial-scale multi-modal H2 refueling stations stretching from Edmonton to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.”
““With abundant resources, tremendous talent, and forward-thinking governments, Canada is driving the clean energy transition forward,” said Seifi Ghasemi, Air Products’ Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Last year, Air Products announced our continued investment in Western Canada with the first permanent, commercial-scale H2 refueling station in Alberta. Today, we build on that commitment with plans to build additional commercial-scale multi-modal H2 refueling stations, developing a H2 highway connecting Alberta’s two largest cities and enabling the continued development of the region’s H2 ecosystem.””
“The permanent, multi-modal H2 refueling stations will be equipped to serve heavy-duty vehicles, such as commercial and municipal trucks and buses, as well light-duty H2 fuel cell cars. The stations will be along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway that runs through Calgary and Edmonton, providing a fueling experience and speed that is similar to gasoline or diesel. This H2 infrastructure will help Western Canada reach a goal of 5,000 H2 or dual fuel vehicles on the road in five years.”
Hydrogen wants to be free !
“Cheap Russian drones overwhelm US-made Abrams tanks, taken out of action”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ar-AA1nIxGp
“A loud cheer went up amongst Ukraine’s support when the US announced in January 2023 it would deliver a battalion of Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The hope was that 31 US made tanks, which are far superior to the Russian T-72 tank that is in wide use by Russia’s forces, would be a game changer.”
“According to the US officials speaking to AP, the Russian drones have been very effective and led to the loss of five Abrams tanks on the battlefield, prompting a reassessment of their deployment.”
“The failure of the Abrams to make a difference is a costly miscalculation. The export cost of an Abrams tank can be around $10mn, while Col. Markus Reisner, an Austrian military trainer who follows the weapons being used in Ukraine, told the Euromaidan Press that the Russian suicide drones being used to destroy them can be as cheap as $500 each (a ratio of 20,000:1).”
“Likewise, Germany sent about five squadrons of its equally powerful Leopard main battle tanks that have been equally disappointing. At least 11 of the 21 sent have been destroyed or damaged and taken out of action, Forbes reported in December. The majority of the Leopard 2A6 tanks sent to Ukraine by Germany are no longer functioning, a senior politician for the German Greens said in January.”
“This investment is also altering the balance of power for tanks. Earlier this year, the Russian defence ministry announced that it had inducted over 1,500 new main battle tanks in 2023 to support its war campaign, whereas Forbes reported in December that Ukraine is down to 350, most of which are the Soviet warhorse, a modified T-72 tank.”
War has changed. More changes are coming. AI drones scare the you know what out of me.
Is it? What’s the context? Were they expended to militarily good use? Was there an alternative? Was shortened training and practice an issue?
To expect no losses would be foolish, nothing is invulnerable on a battlefield.
Drones are new, like tanks were in WW1, neither is likely to go away.
—–
Somewhat related: where are the fighting generals, the Grants & Halsey’s? It usually takes a couple of years for the true fighting leaders to stand out from the crowd.
Is it? What’s the context? Were they expended to militarily good use? Was there an alternative? Was shortened training and practice an issue?
If your multimillion dollar tank is taken out by a $500 drone, that is a problem. Also note that the USA Army just canceled an order for several thousand more Abrams tanks. I am guessing that they are going to try to design anti-drone technology into the tanks.
I suspect that the commanders of the Ukraine cannot get anyone to crew any of the tanks or the armored vehicles. They moved all of the tanks to the rear according to the article. I am wondering where the rear is in Ukraine.
Poland.
My friends who drove Abrams predicted that the tanks would be useless without experienced crews and the support infrastructure as well as air superiority. The deployment time frame was way too short.
BTW, anyone who thinks that the Russians want the Poland headache back are kidding themselves.
Is the rerelease of “The Mummy” up there?
25 years. Geesh.
Buckaroo Banzai is 40 years old this year.
@Greg Norton
“non-disparagement” clause
Not uncommon. The kicker is that perfect truth can be disparagement.
I have a Hoover carpet cleaner. It worked well when it was new. Today I dragged it out of hiding and I didn’t need to read the directions. Had to think about it though. It still works well.
Where his chair sat, the seat mechanics left dark stripes. Probably ground off paint but it didn’t vacuum up. All gone now. Markings and chair.
Now if I can get the carpet to fluff up. Doubtful but maybe.
The horrid thing about the carpet cleaner is how filthy the water it sucks up is. Yeah, you can vacuum to get the dog hair but the watered down milk chocolate colored water the machine sucks up is crazy. What’s that fake chocolate milk called? That doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Dilute that with half water and that’s the color. Ick
We had the carpet installed when we moved here. So, January 1993? I’m going to try to get it clean. Not interested in re-carpeting the house. Where do I put stuff while the carpet crew is here? The boys can do that about 20 years from now if they are lucky because I plan to live to be 90. I can do that, Dad was 86, Mom was a month shy of 90, and Granmama was 96.
And yeah, I can replace the carpet. Doing Pergo or such seems to be a popular thing. But no. I’m not taking the waterbed apart ever again if I can help it. And the TV stand? Hell no, I’d spend a few weeks to get all of the wiring reconnected. Reading glasses help but they are not good enough.
Time for potty walk. Buddy is bugging me…. (which is very good)
I almost had fun using the carpet cleaner. It’s like running the vacuum cleaner.
I vacuum slowly and thoroughly before I use the carpet shampooer. It takes several passes – wetting, drying, rinsing, and drying again. If the rinse water is very dirty, I repeat.
I’m going to have the carpet professionally steam cleaned next week because my son said the house smells so I guess my dog is not quite potty trained. After that he will be spending a lot more time in his cage.
Paul; Even in the cleanest of houses – and mine never was – dust in the air settles into the carpet and builds up, month after month. Vacuuming picks up some of it, and stirs the rest around. The best carpet cleaners might get a third to a half of that accumulated dust. Bob Sprowl’s comment to repeat if the water was dirty is quite apt. Let the carpet and pad dry THOROUGHLY for a week or so before shampooing it for a 3rd time.
I bought an EBL brand portable power supply (“Solar Generator”). Based on some internet reviews, and avoiding Jackery due to one of our community’s issues with that brand.
I charged it up, and took my QRP radio (Elecraft KX3) out to a park.
Everything seemed fine, but the KX3 is very sophisticated, and among other things it displays power supply voltage.
The EBL 12V ports were providing 10.3V. All of them, both barrel connectors and the cigarette lighter.
Not good enough. I just boxed it up and returned it to Amazon this afternoon.
Which was something of a feat, since I had already broken down the boxes and had them in the recycle bin.
Well I’m at the BOL. 73F and dark out. I think I’ll have a little fire tonight…
Tomorrow I have to mow and get the place ready for D2 and her guests. At least I”ve got a few hours of morning before they get here.
Killed a scorpion in the bedroom. Tough bugger.
Don’t care for scorpions. Didn’t like them in AZ, didn’t think I’d find them in TX.
n
When I really wanted to clean a carpet, I’d vacuum with a GOOD vacuum in opposite directions. Once square to the room, then again crosswise, then again at an angle.
I briefly worked in a carpet store and the secret to lasting good looking carpet is regular and thorough vacuuming. And a quality pad.
n
I cannot recommend the Bissel little green spot machine though. It works a treat on spots, but in practice, it is more likely to make a six inch round CLEAN spot which is much more obvious and distracting that the original stain.
Wife tried it but didn’t like the polka dot effect.
n
Most likely they are playing accounting tricks. Charging lots of R&D and whatever else they can to the EVs, in order to make the numbers look awful. Trolling for government handouts? Tax games?
What drones are changing (imho as a former USAF weenie) is air superiority. Used to be that, once you had air superiority, you could defend your ground forces. With drones, that’s no longer possible. That stupidly expensive F-35 can’t do anything about drones, except watch them blow things up.
Given that we have pets, this is one reason that we have no carpets, and no rugs. Just nice tiled floors (ceramic, looks like stone). With floor heating, they are pleasant to walk on even in the winter. The robot vacuum cleaners run automatically three times a week, which takes care of most of the pet hair.
>> Killed a scorpion in the bedroom. Tough bugger.
Should have caught it, brought it home and set it loose in the attic.
Rat problem solved!
>> Given that we have pets, this is one reason that we have no carpets, and no rugs. Just nice tiled floors (ceramic, looks like stone). With floor heating, they are pleasant to walk on even in the winter. The robot vacuum cleaners run automatically three times a week, which takes care of most of the pet hair.
If you have dogs, most likely you’ve seen the videos showing the unfortunate intersection of a robot vac and some pee or poop “accident. If not, GIYF.
@Alan: Yep, seen a couple of videos like that. Our pooch (and our cat) are both fortunately very house trained. Neither has had an “accident” for years.
Our remaining floor problem is mopping. Our vacuums will drag a damp pad around, which does absolutely nothing. Since my wife and I both dislike mopping, it doesn’t happen as often as it ought to.