The cold front got here right on schedule. Temps yesterday started falling and the wind started howling, and it was only 45F when I went to bed. So I expect it to be cold today. Windy too. Pretty much the definition of a blustery day.
I did nothing of note yesterday. Wife read. Kids did their thing. I worked on a puzzle. And read. We ate leftovers all day. No fires, big or tiny. Too much wind.
Today W and the kids are headed home. I’m staying later, like usual, and will do some ‘wrap up’ things. We got the tree down last night, but I have lights to take down and put away. At home I’ll leave the lights and decor up until after New Year’s Day, but I don’t want them up here without knowing when we’ll be back up.
We’ll have a few more days of “between time” and then we’ll get into the new year and the rush to summer. But for now, it’s time to relax and reflect and recharge.
And stack of course.
nick
… and maybe change the post title from Sunday to Monday? Always a sign of good holidays in progress when one no longer knows the day of the week!
“To the others: I apologize to the world at large for my inadvertent, naive if minor role in enabling this assault.”
Like giving Corporate America another Hot Skillz resume entry to use in their ongoing campaign of age discrimination in software development?
https://bsky.app/profile/robpike.io/post/3matwg6w3ic2s
I guess I should thank Mr. Pike for my recent raise.
December 29th falls on a Sunday this year. 🙂
Clear and cold, 25F, this morning in the California high desert.
There is another clear & warm day to work on fencing, then a storm will start rolling in, with rain by NYE And NYD.
There was a !crash! inside the house last night around 2am, so arose and looked around and didn’t see anything, and went back to bed. This morning I realized that the wall shelves in the office had collapsed, books and papers everywhere.
They were overloaded cheap mainland stuff – but I wonder if a curious cat was the last (18#) feather?
One more project.
No spooling down for the holiday interregnum here.
The wrong date on today’s post has triggered me. Mr. Nick should send each of us $1 to make us feel better.
I will send you a dollar. I need your bank information, routing number, and account number. The account login would also be appreciated. /sarcasm
It would probably surprise you the number of people that would fall for that.
I COULD send everyone that reads and comments here $1, but would it REALLY make a difference? Instead if you all sent me $1, I could buy coffee…
——-
40F and bleak this am.
Wife and kids leaving in a couple of hours. I’ll leave later.
Back hurts like I was working in the garden all day, not sitting in the kitchen working on a puzzle.
———–
Timeslip has been repaired, although there may continue to be unpredictable incidents as the probability waves settle.
Now I need coffee.
n
>>Instead if you all sent me $1, I could buy coffee…
I’m in for a buck.
https://buymeacoffee.com/NickFlandrey is available.
https://buymeacoffee.com/signup
“Instead if you both sent me $1, I could buy coffee…”
FIFY 🙂
Home from a shopping trip with W1. She got new shoes and I found a schnitzel smasher and a cookie cutter in the shape of a stag.
We ate Vietnamese for dinner. Pho rules, and it was a very nice change of pace from the very rich Christmas food of the past few days.
I am informed that we are going to an ice hockey match tomorrow evening. I have never been to one before, or even in an ice rink, so I am looking forward to a new experience.
“They were overloaded cheap mainland stuff – but I wonder if a curious cat was the last (18#) feather?”
Don’t wonder about things like that until you’ve hidden your slippers.
“ I COULD send everyone that reads and comments here $1, but would it REALLY make a difference? Instead if you all sent me $1, I could buy coffee…”
I will send you a dollar.
I need your bank information, routing number, and account number. The account login would also be appreciated. /sarcasmJust send your P.O. Box.
Is “BuyMeA Coffee” one of those sites that siphons off the cream?
Those Minnesota Fraudsters Aren’t Going to Be Happy About What Kash Patel Just Said
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2025/12/29/kash-patel-announces-fbi-surge-against-minnesota-fraud-n2668609
This report omits the best quote of all:
“denaturalization and deportation”
https://fox11online.com/newsletter-daily/kash-patel-warns-of-denaturalization-and-deportation-against-somali-scammers
The wrong date on today’s post has triggered me. Mr. Nick should send each of us $1 to make us feel better.
Nah, we should all send Nick a dollar to make him feelz better.
I am informed that we are going to an ice hockey match tomorrow evening. I have never been to one before, or even in an ice rink, so I am looking forward to a new experience.
Watch the movie “Slap Shot” with Paul Newman first. You will really appreciate the game after that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slap_Shot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb0u9B9gBpE
“Black lives matter? The accused serial killer you have likely never heard of”
https://www.theblaze.com/news/black-lives-matter-the-accused-serial-killer-you-have-likely-never-heard-of
“His name is Damien McDaniel.”
“McDaniel is a 23-year-old black man from Fairfield, Alabama, who is currently awaiting trial after allegedly murdering 18 people — yes, 18 people — and wounding over 30 others in little more than a year. He is accused of participating in not one but two mass shootings as well as eight other shootings during this time frame, one of which took the life an unborn child.”
“McDaniel had multiple arrests as a juvenile, including in connection with a shooting in 2019 when he was 17. On April 26, 2023, he pled guilty to two counts of attempted murder in that case and was sentenced to 15 years with 13 years suspended. Between the suspended sentence and time served, McDaniel was soon released from custody.”
They will give him 100 years this time with 98 years suspended.
“2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Limited Review” By: Jerry Reynolds
https://www.carpro.com/vehicle-reviews/2026-toyota-grand-highlander-limited-review
“This week I am taking another look at a wonderful SUV, the 2026 Grand Highlander. The regular Highlander is one of the best-selling SUVs in America, but in 2024 Toyota needed something bigger, but not as big as the Sequoia, so the Grand Highlander was born. Some think it is just a blown up version of the Highlander, but the reality is that the two SUVs only have a suspension system in common. The Grand Highlander is 6.5” longer, 2.3” wider, and 2” taller than the regular Highlander, but the real plus is the additional room in the 3rd row and the cargo area, that has 13 cubic-feet more space.”
“Under the hood is the base engine, the 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that delivers strong, responsive power with excellent low-end torque, making the Grand Highlander feel quicker and more confident than its size suggests. It is paired with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission that does a good job balancing performance and efficiency, with crisp upshifts and unobtrusive operation in everyday driving. This combo produces 265 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, delivering strong low-end power that also easily gets you up on the freeway.”
Sounds like a really nice vehicle. Could probably use a turbo V6 though for more power. Or a really nice hybrid system.
I weather proofed the house and the office today as we are suppose to be 31 F in the morning. Ok, I did a half assed job on the office complex. I should have done it yesterday but I was helping my mother out after church.
I hired a new accountant last Friday for my main company and one of the side businesses. She starts working for me on Friday, Jan 2, 2026 while she shadows my retiring accountant. I am not sure but she may be the first person that I have hired in over a decade.
Somali Daycare Fraud: Ripping Off Taxpayers Since 2015 (at Least)
https://redstate.com/wardclark/2025/12/29/somali-daycare-fraud-parents-check-in-cash-out-on-taxpayers-n2197579
Watch: DHS and ICE Investigators Going Door to Door to Crack Down on Suspected Minneapolis Scammers
https://redstate.com/rusty-weiss/2025/12/29/watch-dhs-and-ice-investigators-going-door-to-door-to-crack-down-on-suspected-minneapolis-scammers-n2197574
Secretary Noem has the budget to offer $3,000 to illegal immigrants for self-deportation.
Why not get even more creative?
Take a look at airline connections from Minneapolis to Somalia. Have a discussion with the airlines and establish a subsidy on a couple flights a week, rotating carriers if necessary, and get an agreement there will be no price reductions in response to the subsidized fare, making it a honey pot. Have someone at the FBI monitor reservations, and every time a “passenger of interest” crops up, send them a special email offering a free pass to the executive lounge in the connecting city. Monitor the poi’s, and if they try to use the free amenity, steer them into a side room and arrest them.
Now it would be just too bad if those poi’s had voluntarily removed themselves from the U.S. and gotten arrested in a connecting city in the armpit of Africa. Doubly too bad if the host country had laws against smuggling, say cash, jewelry, and gold? FBI might offer to return them back to the U.S. in return for a signed confession and a fast-tracked trial to a verdict. Get them out before any prison time is served with the agreement that they will agree to extradition after completion of legal proceedings in the U.S.
They return to the U.S. as convicted criminals serving time, temporarily released by the good graces of a foreign country under color of a treaty agreement–no bail. They get offered a plea deal: complete confession and cooperation with efforts to retrieve stolen funds in return for a twenty year sentence in a U.S. prison. No plea deal and the charges are dropped, whereupon the agreement with the African country is activated and they are extradited immediately. Maybe supply photos of applicants for cellmate who are interested in improving themselves with English lessons?
“They will give him 100 years this time with 98 years suspended.”
He needs to have his life suspended.
Crankshaft: Getting rid of the Christmas Tree
https://www.gocomics.com/crankshaft/2025/12/28
ROTFLMAO. Ok, I have never seen anyone doing that.
Hybrid is available for $4000 more MSRP.
Toyota offering the 2.4 L turbo 4-cyl. instead of the old 3.5 L V6 gives the buyer nothing except compliance.
Nothing will change in the pipeline to reflect the CAFE reversion until after the Midterms. Then it will take a few years.
I doubt V6 engines will ever return in vehciles for the American market, however. Americans are weenies about gas prices regardless of what CAFE dictates.
>>I am informed that we are going to an ice hockey match tomorrow evening. I have never been to one before, or even in an ice rink, so I am looking forward to a new experience.
S1 and S2 both played ice hockey as young kids but both lost interest after a few years, in part to all the equipment involved.
S1 has since become a fan of (N/A) pro hockey. To me, it’s mostly a bunch of guys skating back and forth and not scoring. YMMV – enjoy.
Yep, pretty funny but I have seen artificial trees dumped on the recycle pile (only meant for real trees to be ground up and sent to compost. Try bunning a tree out here)
“Scrolling Through YouTube Shorts? 21% of the Clips Are Probably AI Slop”
https://www.pcmag.com/news/over-21-of-youtube-is-now-ai-slop-says-report
The AI shorts should be detectable and removable.
Yesterday was sunny and about 76f. After double checking I had all of the outside faucets wrapped, I had windows open while doing the Suzy Homemaker Chores. Pretty nice weather. Sunny. Kind of amazing how taking throw rugs outside to shake and how much hair, white Buddy the Beagle color hair, is collected by the vacuum cleaner.
I didn’t dust. Forgot, actually. But the joint looks clean now.
The front arrived at 7:04pm. The temp dropped from 72 to 60 in an hour with enough wind to blow your hat off. It’s all of 38f now. Tonight is forecast to be 32f so… 27f here at the house. Cloudy and just “dark”. Meh. Winter is here. It’s sprinkling once in a while Some of the raindrops look like ice from the way they bounce.
The new curtains do make a difference. Touch the sofa? Feels warm. Dish towel in the kitchen? Feels warm. Curtains? Cold. The spare bedrooms are at least two degrees warmer. The dining and living rooms feel warmer with most of the glass covered. Open the curtains a bit or turn on the lights? The curtains aren’t that great for insulation. So open the curtains a foot or so for light.
I seem to have screwed up charging my phone. As in, it’s down to 5% but didn’t charge. Cheap cable. So for the last few days calls go to voicemail. Somehow it’s my fault. Y’all ever heard of some old tech called “e-mail”? Anyway, I have Data turned off so without the constant chirps of “your pictures on this day” and other silliness I just forgot about the phone…. never heard it ring.
Yippee. Now I have a bunch of voicemails to delete.
“MEME – Land Of Ice And Snow”
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaQ0VH9-sz7_aYNYiDY9wFIW0LBaQCvOBHv6_Bmhtl6XMq9HBABLJD4vdDrCUD9ripeh18bWilpCRYm6aPX-Yujx2v-VmBDHixUxvOcpF-quZFGty4YfVWf79eLllFij0eCAtIimjPZEMf7Qq5tqEdZ1jASBoPomlz0p5mpO4uynwDsaLT4yRJGO22zs/s600/Meme%20-%20land%20of%20ice%20and%20snow.png
From:
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2025/12/memes-that-made-me-laugh-292.html
I love the Immigrant Song !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlNhD0oS5pk
Back when I lived in Alton, Illinois, they had a tradition of an Epiphany bonfire.
Everyone in town was encouraged to bring their old tree to a particular park and drop it off. They made a big pile and lit it up.
I, personally, preferred the Ecumenical Epiphany concert. It was an annual event, hosted each year by a rotating set of churches, where all the participating churches showed up to do a few minutes each of music. It was a last chance to perform Christmas music, and to show of your choirs to the other churches.
My ex’s small Catholic church had3 choirs (she was the director of choirs). We also invited the local cloistered nuns. It was their only public performance of the year. All the rest were in their convent, for their own benefit. Surprisingly good.
Another good couple of years, the local Black Baptist church showed up.
Eventually, no one wanted to host it, and my ex got tired of being the only host.
Pity. There was some good, mostly serious music.
Minneapolis Daycare Scandal Reveals The Trajectory Of Blue Zone Fraud Culture
https://thefederalist.com/2025/12/29/minneapolis-daycare-scandal-reveals-the-trajectory-of-blue-zone-fraud-culture/
Part of the consequences for Somali Scams has to be accountability for the people who went along:
State government workers involved in the disbursement of federal funds usually have federal requirements, so there should be federal charges that can be brought without relying on the totally corrupt state government. Can that be the basis for clawing back salary, pension, etc.? Let’s get creative.
If the 400 state workers who allege that they tried to make reports are credible, then at least some of the manager can be shown to have actively quashed reports of fraud. Bring charges. Years worth of litigation. Beggar them with attorney fees.
How much of this was federal money funneled into the Minnesota state kleptocracy under Biden’s non-watch? Who were the federal officials that let those dollars flow freely without oversight. Clawing back salary, pension, etc. for misfeasance if not malfeasance should be on the table.
Did this have anything to do with it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_State_Treasurer
It’s Democrats all the way down.
37 TRILLION effing dollars in the U.S. deficit.
“I doubt V6 engines will ever return in vehciles for the American market, however. Americans are weenies about gas prices regardless of what CAFE dictates.”
As I have preached for 20 years, the cure for high gasoline prices is compressed natural gas–CNG. Not electric. Not hybrid. Not rickshaws powered by the Soylent-green destined underclass.
Fracking has given us a virtually unlimited supply of natural gas, which has the outstanding characteristic of not having to go through a refinery. Yes, it still needs processing to some extent, but every BTU of transportation fuel that does not pass through a our limited refinery capacity is a win.
Great White North also.
I just shovelled my driveway access, roughly 30′ by 120′ in an L shape, for the third time this season. Or, as we refer to it up here, “made room for the next.” It’s very nearly the textbook definition of futility.
Not just “not fun”, Sisyphan.
California Drops Lawsuit Over Trump’s Funding Cut to State’s Bullet Train
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/12/california-drops-lawsuit-over-trumps-funding-cut-to-states-bullet-train/
I’d suggest that the CA Legislature heavily invest their own pension fund.
Latvian Illegals Nabbed in $14M Texas Gift Card Scam
https://redstate.com/wardclark/2025/12/29/latvian-illegals-nabbed-in-14m-texas-gift-card-scam-n2197586
In other news, MN Gov Tim “Timmy Retardo” Waltz held a joint presser with MN AG Keef “Islamic Na-Shun” Elyisum and announced an immediate investigation of Latvian scams “to ascertain the full impact on citizens of our state”, asking the legislature for a special “temporary” tax levy to provide funds since the state coffers is mysteriously “busted”.
The boneless chicken thighs I grilled like what seems six weeks ago is all finally gone. Finally. The spicy seasoning doesn’t keep.
Precious Perfect Pretty Penny Poo Puppy and Barney the Beagle had the last of the chicken tonight.
It was still good. Not going “off” at all. Sure seem to take a long time to eat, though.
As for Penny, we had it up to 17 P words. Sitting on the porch and drinking beer. Laugh and laugh. Did we write anything? Nah/ Beer.. And that became one of the jokes between us.
Home from the BOL and it’s blowing like a hurricane… and cold.
Took down the lights and the other decor. Fixed the boat lift. Did a couple of other things to get shut down, and after a hot shower so my fingers worked again, drove home.
One accident had two lanes closed, and there were a couple of cops out in Conroe, but it was a lot quieter than Sunday nights.
Most of my inflatable decor here was blown over. So I stood some back up. I don’t think it will last with this wind though.
Time to get some food in me and think about an early bed. At least my bed will be warm.
n
>>S1 has since become a fan of (N/A) pro hockey. To me, it’s mostly a bunch of guys skating back and forth and not scoring. YMMV – enjoy.
ADDED: oh yeah, forgot to mention the fights – guys with big wooden sticks trying to beat on each other, with the (one or two) protagonists sent to the
woodshedpenalty box as punishment, though it’s their team that suffers having to play short-handed until the penalty time expires. People used to quip: ‘we went to the fights and a hockey game broke out.)I had a roommate who watched hockey on TV in LA. He loved it so much he bought gear and started playing in a beginners league for adults.
To me, the rules don’t make sense, but it’s fast and fights break out.
Roommate got the company season tickets and took me to an actual live game and the experience was COMPLETELY different from TV. It’s quiet. You can hear the players skate, breathe, and call out to each other. No play by play makes it even more mysterious.
In person, it’s kinda cool and “chill” in more ways than one. On TV? Just fast moving nonsense.
n
“Tattoos on women are like a highlight reel of bad past decisions.”
– youtube reaction video
n
Tuesday. Early.
I slept fitfully. Too warm. Perhaps it was the Thai food?
Thanks for all the ice hockey tips. I am looking forward to the new experience.
I know about that.