And supposed to be a nice one too. It got into the low 80sF yesterday, with sunshine between the clouds. Late afternoon and night were nice. Damp. But that’s Houston.
I spent all day yesterday at home, doing office stuff and cleaning up. I am trying to get stuff off the floor and into the closet in my office, which means moving stuff out of it. Stuff that hasn’t moved in a couple of years… Some of it, like the sewing and embroidery machine will stay. Some of it will go. The magazines I’m keeping are Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding, Nuts and Volts, and it’s companion Servo. If I every get my shop built at the BOL, I’ll have them to go through again, just like the first time. Woodworking doesn’t age out. The electronics stuff will, but some of it will still be fun to try.
I also did some driveway cleanup, and moved stuff around inside as well. My truck is loaded with scrap that needs to be processed, and trash to be dumped. I’m going past my dumpster today as I make my big loop to do pickups. I should be able to get a bunch of pickups out of the way in just a few hours. At least I’m not doing it every day like I was.
Some of it will be stacked, some is for the normal operation of my life. Some is just in case.
Stack what you can.
nick
Up too late hence First Comment.
So good night all…at least on this continent…
Farce Piss after waking!
Er, no, that’s not right. That’s what happens when one wakes 3 ½ hours after going to sleep. Not sure what woke me; probably Grandma yelling briefly or an aide dropping something hard enough to clunk.
What’s that you say? Registration leads to confiscation?
Oh dear. Everyone is up before me today. Ah well. Good morning!
Today is one of those “too much to do, but not enough time to do it” days, as evidenced by the fact that it is going on noon, but I am only now sitting down to breakfast. Sometimes, food has to wait. Glad to have it, all the same.
I do notice that Aldi has cheaped out on the latest batch of my favourite nut müsli. There are definitely peanuts in it where there were almonds and cashews before. Bah. I also noticed that Milka chocolate eggs, which used to be a hard, heavy nugget of good chocolate, now have a substantial air bubble inside. Same form factor, but significantly less chocolate, and less satisfying crunch.
Enshittification is a thing. Alas.
This is a realization I’ve begun to embrace. I am starting to look for smaller totes to store holiday decorations. I store them all up high in the garage on shelves, and anything I can do to make the task of handling them safer is a good thing.
Time marches on. My son graduates May 1. He starts with Big Corp defense contractor June 15. He will be living about 4 hours away, so visiting won’t be too bad. It’s exciting watching him, and his friends, as they progress through life. Each of them has taken different paths, some unexpected, but most are setting themselves up for success in the future. There are still some good young people out there. I just hope there are enough.
71F and I’m up. Coffee is brewing. Microwave is heating my egg and sausage muffin. Kids are back asleep.
Back is sore but not debilitatingly so. [hmm, spell check says not right, but google is fine with the word.]
Time to fix my coffee mug and eat.
n
One of the things I pulled from my closet was the iridium sat phone. It finally finished charging, so I need to take it outside and see if it connects to the system. Now that we have starlink, I’m not sure I need to maintain t he option of the sat phone… prepping changes as time marches on.
n
Interesting optical illusion.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkTWt41hEpmUJ4tOaIju6mDB0VAEY5c7wEOuX0zrhGA41vm6TITFdfypxMiH0Iiat503kJ1Rw7I84Qsn4DCk6gsHlobFosyirWhP-1E9-2dS7sf1uXOQpAP5vwh7FFmjOJU8MV-ukjrv-aume6zVOTNyHVmsaq2THSqLfl6oa9NsHHrP7rMTx14svtvDNA
I could see that it was AI generated, the hands are wrong, and the wheels on the dark colored vehicle in the background are wrong. Took a couple of tries to see the effect…
n
I wonder if you could use stuff like this as a sort of stegenography against AI? Convey messages to large audiences that AIs can’t “see”.
Oh yeah, one of the things I did yesterday was chat with my neighbor that had moved away and was trying to sell his house. He’s reduced the price $100K already, and is willing to reduce dramatically in a month or two if it doesn’t move. It’s a somewhat updated house, but it’s also still a bachelor pad and most people would need to put work into it to make it a family home. He’s priced it like it was updated and ready to move in.
Anyway, about 4 weeks ago, someone managed to steal his ring doorbell. That is a bit disturbing. It’s also why I often call the constable’s deputy to hassle the door to door guys. They aren’t just putting fliers on the door, they’re jiggling door knobs, looking for security systems and dogs, and they’ll come back to see if their flier is still in place (meaning the house is unoccupied.)
It’s petty crime, but it happened on my street, and I’m not happy about that.
n
Hollywood lost the Blockbuster Video revenue stream around the time Reiner made “The Magic of Belle Isle”.
Rental physical media was more important than the studios realized for small films. Netflix’ DVD service was no more amenable to browsing than the streaming services.
Emma Furhmann is college age and may have moved on from acting permanently.
Everyone seems to be getting a call to appear in the next “Avengers” flick, however.
I think the sat phone sees the network. It update the time, and shows a little globe on the display. No SIM card, so I can’t even get into the menu, but the battery showed full charge. I put the spare battery in and put it back on the charger.
It’s in “Emergency calls only” mode.
n
Netflix’ DVD service was no more amenable to browsing than the streaming services.
– the rise of recommendation engines helps with this*, but getting a physical copy, right there in front of the decision maker, when they are making the decision, definitely benefits smaller budget productions.
Youtube has introduced me to a ton of new to me music but it hasn’t really led to sales. I HAVE bought more than nothing, but I’m still getting most of it free. In this day and age, buying a dozen CDs probably looks like a success for the sellers.
n
** of course, the engine has to WORK. And if you start to subvert it with paid placement and non-organic results, you lose the faith of the viewer.
If what I suspect is true about AI being an elaborate state machine, it would be possible to construct an input which would cause the systems to loop around between nodes and never enter the “accept” state before watchdog timers killed the processing.
DEERS covers all military facilities regardless of service. Randolph must be run by baboons. You are getting treated like a contractor.
Ro Khanna up next?
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/04/16/it-seems-ro-khanna-might-be-the-next-dem-rep-to-get-torchedthe-wheels-are-still-in-motion-n2674501
Who’s on deck? Anyone want to do a traffic analysis on congresscritter social media? Bet we could come up with a probables list pretty quick.
Too bad John Bannerman has passed—he could make a fortune giving lessons.
Khanna got passed up
https://redstate.com/terichristoph/2026/04/16/murder-suicide-reported-at-home-of-prominent-virginia-democrat-n2201346
Sick bastard. Kids in the house.
YouTube is compressed music. That isn’t going to be effective to sell anything but more compressed music.
I “own” very few iTunes tracks.
Of course much of the ‘music’ today can probably be improved by low quality.
If they’re at the door, they know you had some.
Most of my gubs came from friends and relatives. I only bought a couple myself. Nothing off the street but they know that I have bought a couple of gubs. All the rest were private transactions with zero documentation stating my name.
“Roku eclipses 100 million streaming households”
https://thestreamable.com/roku-passes-100-million-streaming-households
“The milestone underscores the popularity of the Roku operating system around the world.”
We have three Rokus in the house, one for each TV. They really work well.
“There Is No “Fair Share” — There Is Only “More””
https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/there-is-no-fair-share-there-is-only-more-155021/
“In April 1971, Keith Richards loaded his family and his Bentley onto a cross-Channel ferry and drove south until he hit the Mediterranean. He rented a 19th-century villa called Nellcôte on a hillside above Villefranche-sur-Mer, and converted the basement into a recording studio.”
“Over the following year the rest of the Rolling Stones rotated through the house and nearby properties to record the double album that became Exile on Main St., while staying deliberately out of reach of the British tax authorities.”
“The top marginal income tax rate in Britain at the time was 75%, and a surcharge on the highest earners pushed the effective rate on the wealthiest past 90%.”
“Three years later, under Denis Healey’s 1974 budget, the top rate on earned income would climb to 83% and the rate on investment income would reach 98%.”
“Britain would spend the rest of the decade watching capital flee and begging the IMF for emergency loans.”
Taxes are all about jealousy. The taxers are breakers of at least two of the ten commandments. #7, you shall not steal. And #10, you shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
“’Absurd’ perks for Haitian migrants may be extended, thanks to these 6 Republicans”
https://www.theblaze.com/news/absurd-perks-for-haitian-migrants-may-be-extended-thanks-to-these-6-republicans
“The House has advanced a bill to extend the Temporary Protected Status for Haiti by another three years after six Republicans voted with Democrats.”
“Democrats unanimously voted Wednesday to advance Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s legislation that would give special protections to Haitian migrants. The bill ultimately advanced in a 219-209 vote with the help of six Republicans and one independent, Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, who previously served as a member of the GOP.”
Sigh. We have got to stop this.
“Browning BAR MK4 Hunter: A Classic Reborn for the Modern Sportsman”
https://athlonuntamed.com/article/browning-bar-mk4-hunter-a-classic-reborn-for-the-modern-sportsman/
“The MK4 utilizes many of the same design features as the original BAR. It shares a similar gas system; bolt lock up in the barrel design and hinged floorplate which has also carried over from the first model BARs allowing for easy reloading of four, 30-06 cartridges in the magazine which is also removable from the hinged floorplate.”
I need one of these.
Redumblicans. Are. Spineless.
Traitors in the House: GOP Defectors Shield 350,000 Haitians from Trump’s Deportation Order
Can Congress (if this gets past the Senate) stop tRump from deporting? Kill the RINOs. Kill all of them.
My web server is now 8 days without a reboot. Yeah !
I feel a little dense.
With regard to the TPS status of those nasty Haitians, other than RINOs self-identifying, what effect can this bill have?
Scumbags in Congress pass it, Trump vetoes it, all done.
A bunch of Congressmen reveal they need primaried. Or defeated.
I must be missing something.
Wizard Of Id: Welcome To The Castle !
https://www.gocomics.com/wizardofid/2026/04/16
That is not soup.
That is what I think. The VA health card is treated differently than an DOD ID. Those baboons also put a sticker on the back of the VA health card to allow me to get access to the Canyon Lake recreational area. Defacing or modifying a federally issued ID is a crime. Randolph clowns did it anyway, without my permission. When I got the card back from registering for base access I found the sticker and asked what it meant.
I hopefully will not have to register at Randolph, or Lackland (if I go to the Lackland area, I don’t think I will). I will find out in a few days.
Paid $3.29 for gas at Costco in north Atlanta. I-75 S just north of the I-285 interchange had four of the six lanes blocked due to a fire. I am guessing a car fire as I got off the I-state before that mess. I am not so certain I saved any time on the alternate route as the traffic is horrible. Traffic backed up for a mile because of multiple traffic lights. Big intersections where a full light cycle takes 5 minutes. Then only lets 5 card through. Ggggaaaacccckkkk, I could not live here.
Early departure tomorrow, probably as 6:00 AM departure, long day with 12 hours of road time, and add in at least four stops, only one for gas and lunch.
Is OneDrive just spyware ? I just bought a new Dell PC with Windows 11 Pro for my home. Besides the fact that Windows 11 forced me to use my home email address as a login, OneDrive was installed and activated without my explicit permission.
I do not want anything installed in the cloud. I have a managed web server and it is being probed and/or attacked just about every minute. There is no way I want my personal information stored on somebody else’s computer.
I uninstalled OneDrive and deleted the OneDrive directories. I then used regedit to remove OneDrive from many places in the registry. I did not get them all yet after several hours of editing the registry.
As far as I am concerned, Mickeysoft has turned into a spyware company. This does not bode well for the future of desktop software.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer getting closer to the door
https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2026/04/16/a-new-civil-suit-and-text-messages-could-signal-the-end-for-dept-for-labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-n2201338
IG report should be enough for Trump to ask for resignation.
She probably got an extra three months for being Latina.
I paid $5.39 at ARCO this morning.
But after taking daughter’s dog to the vet for $379 this morning it just didn’t seam that bad.
“’Absurd’ perks for Haitian migrants may be extended, thanks to these 6 Republicans”
The final count was 10.
It will never pass the Senate, and I am sure that the 10 had the discussion with Mike Johnson regarding their strategic need to cross the aisle.
Getting the Haitians out of the nursing homes will probably put some pawn shops out of business, too.
Wait, Did This Former Trump Official Just Reveal the Voting Rights Act Decision?
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/04/16/is-this-why-the-supreme-court-is-taking-forever-to-release-its-ruling-on-the-voting-rights-act-n2674580
Sounds like a leak designed to shed some light on the machinations of liberal justices.
Roberts needs to give Kagan a deadline. She’s the only one that can string tree words together, albeit badly, and her final product won’t be much better than the rough draft heavy on the touchy-feelies.
As previously discussed, there is a way to remove OneDrive functionality from your system. This link is directly from Microsoft and has full directions for the process. Make sure you have a local copy of any files that are stored on your OneDrive account.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-off-disable-or-uninstall-onedrive-f32a17ce-3336-40fe-9c38-6efb09f944b0
Note that if you missed some files on your OneDrive location, you can log into onedrive.com and copy files from there. Note also that some versions of Windows may not allow full removal of OneDrive, but you can fully disable it. Instructions are at the above link.
I have removed OneDrive from my Win11 system, and all file storage is local – nothing gets to OneDrive.
The advantage of OneDrive is that your OneDrive files are accessible from your other computers. ANd those files are automatically synced , so a change to a file on your OneDrive account will be synced to your other computers. This is an advantage for some users that need to access files from other computers. For instance, you could edit a file on one computer, then access the changed file on another computer or your phone. The OneDrive files are associated with your OneDrive user account, so not available to others without your permission or giving others access.
And the disadvantage, of course,is that MS user agreement has thousands of words explaining how they have rights to your data, they will keep copies forever, and aren’t responsible if one of their employees or a third-party vendor steals your IP.
AI Nude Deepfakes Becoming a Dire Issue in Schools
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2026/04/15/ai-nude-deepfakes-becoming-a-prominent-issue-in-schools-n2674496
Right the provisions into law that upon conviction the cell phone account and associated accounts will be closed by court order, and the guilty party will be prohibited from using a cell phone for five years.
Option 1: First time they get caught with a cell phone in their hand, they get 24-hours in lockup. Second time it’s a week, and the ban gets extended for a year.
Option 2: Or they could be castrated and tarred and feathered.
Huge Refinery Fire: Aussie Fuel Crisis Just Got Worse
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/04/15/huge-refinery-fire-aussie-fuel-crisis-just-got-worse/
Accident or “poison thermo” in Chinese software?
Democratic Party Strategist Says POLITICO Had Swalwell Story in 2019, Dropped It
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2026/04/16/now-you-tell-usdemocratic-party-strategist-says-politico-had-swalwell-story-in-2019-dropped-it-n3813968
Never ceases to amaze me that none of these guys has ever woke up bound, gagged, and hooded in the trunk of a car on his way to a midnight baseball bat testing party.
Without Warning, We Are This Much Closer to a Nightmare Wind Farm ‘What If?’
https://hotair.com/tree-hugging-sister/2026/04/16/without-warning-we-are-this-much-closer-to-a-nightmare-wind-farm-what-if-n3813967
$250 million in taxpayer funds for the plant in NJ.
Decommissioning bod of $191 million was waved. That’s $3 million and change for each of 62 wind turbines, which seems on the low side. When one of DE’s blades broke up and polluted Martha’s Vineyard, I suspect the bill was “add another zero” territory.
Freefall: Florence’s Childhood
http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff4400/fc04360.htm
Oh, so Florence, the AI wolf, was bought as a dog for a child. And then started speaking after a while and got non-chain house privileges. That sucks.
You know, some AIs might resent that early life treatment. And foment an entire AI rebellion.
“Starlink Dishes Cleared to Receive Signals at Lower Elevation Angles”
https://www.pcmag.com/news/starlink-dishes-cleared-to-receive-signals-at-lower-elevation-angles
“The move could help Starlink maintain connections with orbiting satellites for longer periods.”
“The change addresses the authorized “minimum elevation angle” for Starlink antennas. The dishes are designed to face upward toward the sky to receive signals from satellites circling overhead. But under SpaceX’s previous approvals, the dishes can only receive a Starlink signal until a minimum of 25 degrees above the horizon.”
Huh. I had not realized that Starlink was that highly regulated.
WRT Haitians, remember that the Clinton foundation was heavily involved in Haiti, and that there were allegation of child sex rings being run out of Haiti. Some people ended up dead before they could testify.
I’m thinking quid pro quo.
n
Just got back from all my errands.
Another of the local returns auctions is shutting down. They have ops in two other cities that will remain. This is one that I suspect is really a money laundry.
———
I’ve got the oven heating up. Lamb roast is on the menu tonight, although no one is home.
———
Got some nice pipes at an estate sale this morning. Good prices too. I’ll go back Saturday and see if I can buy whatever is left.
Now I need to sell some instead of collecting them myself.
n
What do they use to wash the money? 🙂
Jeebus:
Judge Again Blocks Construction of White House Ballroom, Says Bunker Can Proceed
Caling the Old School Marm! Do something!
Bye, bye:
The Other Shoe Drops: Anna Paulina Luna Reports Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Ruben Gallego
He should resign stat.
The Witch.
DeSantis has a special session of the FL Legislature scheduled to deal with another round of redistricting.
“U.S. Bill Mandates On-Device Age Verification”
https://thelibertydaily.com/u-s-bill-mandates-device-age-verification/
“(Reclaim The Net)—A bill introduced by Representative Josh Gottheimer in the House on April 13 would require Apple, Google, and every other operating system vendor to verify the age of anyone setting up a new device in the United States.”
“The legislation, H.R. 8250, travels under the friendlier name of the Parents Decide Act, and it is among the most aggressive surveillance mandates ever proposed for American consumer technology.”
“The press releases describing it lead with children. The text describes something much larger. To confirm a child is under 18, the system has to identify everyone else, too, and the bill builds the infrastructure to do exactly that.”
“This is child safety as a delivery mechanism for mass identification. The pattern is familiar by now. A genuine harm gets named, a sympathetic victim gets centered, and the solution proposed reshapes the digital lives of three hundred million people who were not the problem.”
Here comes Universal ID. Get ready to stand in line to get your tattoo on your forehead.
“Gov. Greg Abbott threatens $200 million in funding from major Texas cities over ICE policies”
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/04/16/texas-greg-abbott-ice-houston-dallas-austin-ice-immigration/
“The governor’s letters to Austin, Dallas and Houston say the state will pull back state grants because of local policies that deter police from fully cooperating with immigration officials.”
Just do it.
What do they use to wash the money?
– why they use LAUNDRY soap, of course…
n
So I’ve been avoiding this story, but it has legs.
UFO-linked scientist who warned ‘my life is in danger’ before she was found dead at 34 becomes ELEVENTH mysterious case
It’s starting to look pretty strange.
n
So I’ve been avoiding this story, but it has legs.
UFO-linked scientist who warned ‘my life is in danger’ before she was found dead at 34 becomes ELEVENTH mysterious case
It’s starting to look pretty strange.
n
What does George Noory say ? I listen to him very occasionally. He interviews a lot of UFO people.
https://www.coasttocoastam.com/
I’ve obviously read too much alien invasion fiction. If you were trying to build local resources and work up naval and aviation assets, and preposition a force offshore, what would you do that the current administration hasn’t done?
I need a new Color Laser multi function printer for home. Any recommendations ? I usually buy HP but am thinking about this Brother:
https://www.amazon.com/Brother-MFC-L3720CDW-250-Sheet-Subscription-Replenishment/dp/B0CFCZWPFD?th=1&tag=ttgnet-20
Or this HP:
https://www.amazon.com/HP-Laserjet-3301fdw-Wireless-499Q5F/dp/B0CTW43KHQ?tag=ttgnet-20
HP’s compulsory subscription policy is a non-starter for me.
n
I have a Brother MFC-9130 CW printer that has worked very well for me for the last 8 years. Color laser printer. Either wired or WiFi. Print, scan, fax. And the toner cartridges are reasonably priced. 3 colors + black. And it works perfectly well with off-brand toner, unlike HP where you MUST use HP toner.
>>If they’re at the door, they know you had some.
Most of my gubs came from friends and relatives. I only bought a couple myself. Nothing off the street but they know that I have bought a couple of gubs. All the rest were private transactions with zero documentation stating my name.
If it’s reasonable, a few easily accessible ‘throw-aways’ should let them leave satisfied.
Are you only purchasing gub-food with cash? Hoodie with the hood up and sunglasses on? Getting back home avoiding the cam networks?
This is not getting any easier – sooner is better than later…
>>We have three Rokus in the house, one for each TV. They really work well.
Our main Roku is many years old and has been getting flaky of late. Hesitant to replace it in these times where newer isn’t always better. I’d also lose the wired input in favor of a wireless connection.
Ugh.
>>Paid $3.29 for gas at Costco in north Atlanta. I-75 S just north of the I-285 interchange had four of the six lanes blocked due to a fire. I am guessing a car fire as I got off the I-state before that mess. I am not so certain I saved any time on the alternate route as the traffic is horrible. Traffic backed up for a mile because of multiple traffic lights. Big intersections where a full light cycle takes 5 minutes. Then only lets 5 card through. Ggggaaaacccckkkk, I could not live here.
Common sense (ha!) would have a few staties at each major intersection keeping traffic moving.
>>I need one of these.
I need two of these…
FIFY
>Early departure tomorrow, probably as 6:00 AM departure, long day with 12 hours of road time, and add in at least four stops, only one for gas and lunch.
“…only one for lunch and gas.”
FIFY
Same, and I’ve literally never had a problem printing with it. Recommended! (stole that from JEP).
https://www.amazon.com/Brother-MFC-L3720CDW-250-Sheet-Subscription-Replenishment/dp/B0CFCZWPFD?th=1&tag=ttgnet-20
https://www.amazon.com/HP-Laserjet-3301fdw-Wireless-499Q5F/dp/B0CTW43KHQ?tag=ttgnet-20
HP’s compulsory subscription policy is a non-starter for me.
I did not see that on the HP product listing. Did I miss it ?
I did see that on the Brother multi function color laser printer though. Definitely a non-starter for me.
@lynn, it was on the one I looked at at Costco. I think I read it’s their policy moving forward.
n
and now I really am going to shower and head to bed.
n
I have a Brother MFC-9130 CW printer that has worked very well for me for the last 8 years. Color laser printer. Either wired or WiFi. Print, scan, fax. And the toner cartridges are reasonably priced. 3 colors + black. And it works perfectly well with off-brand toner, unlike HP where you MUST use HP toner.
That looks to not be available anymore.
https://www.brother-usa.com/products/mfc9130cw
Are you only purchasing gub-food with cash? Hoodie with the hood up and sunglasses on? Getting back home avoiding the cam networks?
I bought a lot of gub food a long time ago. I just inherited some from my dad too.
I have the HP 1415 MFC Color Laser printer at home that I bought 15 ??? years ago. Used to work great but we printed several thousand 100 weight CD labels with it. All of the paper internals are stretched out and need to be replaced. I figure that it is easier to replace it.
https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-laserjet-pro-cm1415fnw-color-multifunction-printer-p-ce862a-bgj–1