Well, we’re supposed to get good weather. Yesterday had a little rain in the morning but it cleared and the sun was a laser burning my flesh by the afternoon. Today should be the same.
Didn’t do much more than read, sleep, and eat. Chatted with my mom a bit. Hope to do some more today.
Today has a beach visit scheduled. I will probably not enjoy that much, but the kids will, so I’ll go along.
I’m sure that by the time I settle into this trip it’ll be time to head home. That’s the nature of the beast.
Stack it up, as there is still time. If you need any reason, hurricane season will be getting underway. Now so will I.
nick
The family puts the “fun” in dysfunctional, but my mother’s passing was complicated by my wife’s potential liability exposure and the weirdness that exists in the Hospice organization in Tampa Bay.
I give no credit to the Hospice organization for alleviating any suffering in a meaningful way in our specific situation.
And that’s Florida, with a tenth of the per-capita Hospice activity of California.
Per-capita in a state full of retirees.
Think about it.
If you are so inclined, in lieu of flowers, buy a sweatshirt from Nick Shirley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kegwwB4RHgA
Greg – sorry for your loss. Navigating family dynamics can definitely be challenging sometimes.
Monday. Good morning!
Strawberries for breakfast. Mmmmm. What more could one want?
Have a good day.
How about a pound of bagel and lox? That is the breakfast of champions. One bagel slice and the toppings from 4 others, and you’ve got a solid fishy breakfast…
——–
Headed into town for “local culture”and shopping. The beach day is tomorrow.
n
@Greg: Wishing you the best in a difficult time.
This.
– – – – –
Bit of a crazy week again. I keep saying things are going to calm down, but…they don’t.
Lots of grading to do, along with the usual teaching. Plus random appointments. Plus guests showing up Friday for the weekend, which also wasn’t really planned.
Plus, a neighbor hauled over a hand-made iron railing that he thinks would look nice where I have a makeshift fence between us to keep our dog in. Hint. So that’s getting mounted this week. Non-trivial, because it doesn’t quite fit the length, has to be matched on one end to a sloping cement wall, and other complications. Anyway, another neighbor and I got it roughly in place, and cemented the first two footings today. We’ll let them set till Wednesday, then continue.
The positive side of that project is welding. I bought a welder about 20 years ago, and kept intending to learn to use it. The other neighbor has been teaching me, on this railing, because we have to make some adaptations to make everything work.
>>I’m sure that by the time I settle into this trip it’ll be time to head home. That’s the nature of the beast.
“Good to be back in the office”… “I need a vacation after that vacation” was a not uncommon refrain in my office (back in the day when went to the office with any regularity.)
Another Monday.
Up on the roof prepping the swamp cooler since we are predicted to have temperatures in the low hundreds from Wednesday on.
The (new) backup pads that I had in the shed from last year turned out to be 2 inches too short, the little local hardware has the same size so I’m out of luck there. Not a big deal, I have spare material and can use scissors, but it’s pretty tedious sitting up there on the roof in 90°.
We were predicted to be cooking, but the temps are around 20C (70F) for highs, with chilly nights. Man, this global warming is killing us :-/
Oh, and our forests are somehow in trouble. Not true, but that’s the latest climate-crisis idiocy.
Yeah, cooler than yesterdays predicted (91) today because of some high clouds.
The weather liars say, as of noon just now: 88(today), 91, 100, 101, 99, 100.
All of which which is more or less normal for this time of year around here.
Done(ish) for now. I still need to swap in a new hard water filter and remove a couple chunks of old pad, but good enough for now. Once I get that done I will tape the cooler joints and it should not be pulling in any warm air.
There’s a little voice in my
headlower back that says I’m done for today.—–
After 20m the house internal air temperature has dropped from 74° to 72°, not bad. Though 85° external temperature is not much of a challenge.
Lows should be in the 60s so at least the evenings should be quiet and free of the continual a/c drone.
Humidity’s the challenge with swamp collers.
Early bedtime for me. Early meeting at work tomorrow, followed by a new major project for the better part of a month. Joy.
Weather… definitely not high summer. Around 19C and overcast and/or raining. I got a tiny patch of lawn mowed, and a bit of hedge cut where I need to clear access to a manhole to read the water meter, and then a deluge started. I don’t know why the water company doesn’t read its own instrument. Lazy so and sos.
On the positive side, my Stihl hedge trimmer started on about the second pull, so my overwintering procedure was effective.
Goodnight!
When I lived in Barstow and Victorville as a youngen’ all we had was swamp coolers. When the outside humidity is below 10% the swamp coolers work really well. It could be 100F outside and a cool 75F in the house. Adding that humidity to the outside air was actually a very good thing. Open a window an inch in each room and it felt good.
Unlike my time in basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, in July and August, the barracks had no A/C. Just fans in the windows on one side of the building and open windows on the other side. When it was 100F outside with 95% humidity it was miserable. All the barracks now have A/C.
RE Basic and barracks at Lackland:
You were spoiled; in August of 1964 there were no fans. Lots of summer showers so the humidity was always over 98%.
Wimps.
I finished all of my laundry today. Even folded and put away. Everything is clean except the shorts I’m wearing, another pair I forgot to toss in the machine, and a tank-top in the truck. Oh, and a t-shirt and pair of boxers I wear as pajamas.
Tomorrow is vacuum the house. The beagle hair is getting kind of crazy and beyond using a broom. Oh, and dust. Maybe I’ll dust.
Today reached 93f. Breezy. Not hot enough to me to close the house and turn on the a/c. It clouded up and thundered a bit. Just circled around me from south to north. No rain but the temp is down to 85f.
Penny is not happy. She doesn’t like thunder. Her ears are going as expected for an almost 15 year old dog. She doesn’t act like she really hears the thunder but she sure is pacing. It’s interesting to watch her.
I grilled the chicken “fajitas” today. Smell good. Buddy agrees. Penny agrees. The few bits I’ve tried taste fine and I cooked them just right. Seems rather salty though. Maybe once they cool off.
Lawsuit Incoming: Congresswoman Pulls a George Stephanopoulos Live on CNN
https://twitchy.com/brettt/2026/06/08/lawsuit-incoming-congresswoman-pulls-a-george-stephanopoulos-live-on-cnn-n2429036
Speech and debate clause will not protect her. Past litigation and the contemporaneous warning that she received is strong evidence of reckless disregard for the truth and malice.
Trump’s lawsuit should be filed in Florida for $115 million, if not more.
And CNN can stick their legal disclaimer. They let her spout her lies when a producer could have flipped the switch and gone to a commercial, during which they could have given her an opportunity to record an abject apology or announced after the break that she got booted by CNN for slandering President Trump with proven lies and they are very, very sorry.
Any show that gives Escobar a live mike should lose their broadcasting license, and suitable penalties for any other venue should be similar.
“Capitalism”
https://areaocho.com/capitalism/
“This is the truth. The government ruins everything it touches.”
Yes, the truth.
And chain migration is making it all worse as the green carders bring all of their aged relatives here to the USA to overwhelm our medical and welfare systems. It used to be that if you brought your aged relatives here, you have to sign a pledge to take care of them. That does not appear to be the case anymore.
Defense Rests Case After Shocking Day in Karmelo Anthony Trial
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/06/08/defense-rests-case-after-shocking-day-in-karmelo-anthony-trial-n2677439
Anthony’s family was “dismayed”. Maybe they would have been less dismayed if they had used the $700,000 reportedly raised for his defense and for better representation, rather than rent a palatial home in a gated community, buy a couple mighty fine rides, and blow thousands on new threads.
“No burials”
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggPyOMKdssHCG3QKDUE-nZ8CqQDi8la48_58L8O-Xa6mLhwD-LEgTCu-QFLYc6KCQqze7YSRLtAn2ESuY69ZTMJ6UUgJMtl691SyPOwfvfFlrR3nI0r4hb8oO4TujpWqA2rf-bJpmi3SUFdqKvPbLiV-K9OtFwMEpI7rwdYI56QdcoKiPTJE9bqZwBCg/s550/Meme%20-%20no%20burials.png
You would think that would be a given.
From:
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2026/06/memes-that-made-me-laugh-315.html
Anniversary of one of the most effective recent memes for the Dems.
“That could be my daughter or granddaughter!”
https://jonathanturley.org/2026/06/08/on-the-kavanaugh-anniversary-democratic-leaders-swap-me-too-for-maine/
Once again, the seat shaped the Justice, but that didn’t matter to the Dems at the time.
Monday. Good morning!
Strawberries for breakfast. Mmmmm. What more could one want?
Have a good day.
I dislike strawberries. I had blackberries on my Grape Nuts. No sugar and unsweetened soy milk since I am allergic to real milk.
Today has been crazy but I got the air conditioning fixed in the warehouse office.
I had a long talk with the Medicare lady overseeing my mother’s health care. We got nothing resolved other than my mother’s bad habits starting with sleeping in her wheelchair are making her life worse. Cuts the already bad blood circulation in her legs to almost nothing with her last stage congestive heart failure. My mother says the doctors are a bunch of country doctors and incompetent. One day in the not distant future, I will be taking mom to the ER to get her legs amputated. I will be begging my middle brother who lives in Chicago to do that deed.
I have begged mom to eat her meals in the dining hall and talk with the other old ladies to get some interaction. No go. Mom makes the staff bring her meals to her room 2 or 3 times a day. And then complains about her lack of social interaction.
Oh, and a t-shirt and pair of boxers I wear as pajamas.
What are these pajamas that you speak of?
We were predicted to be cooking, but the temps are around 20C (70F) for highs, with chilly nights. Man, this global warming is killing us :-/
Oh, and our forests are somehow in trouble. Not true, but that’s the latest climate-crisis idiocy.
Let me guess. Somebody wants government money to study the forests.
Oh, and our forests are somehow in trouble. Not true, but that’s the latest climate-crisis idiocy.
I had an argument online with an idiot retired climate researcher. I know, I am the idiot for arguing. He is one of these people that is a Michael Mann hockey stick follower and maintains that we are all going to die in the near future.
Anyway, the conversation was concluded by him stating that I am without honor and that I am brain damaged. I decided to let it go and killfiled him and his followers online. Life is too short to deal with those crazy people.
Well, technically, that is correct. Just define “near”, and from ”what”.
So, who has money on Israel nuking Iran this week?
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/06/07/world/iran-israel-missiles
I am convinced that Israel was going to nuke Iran back in April and Trump talked them out of it. I think that Trump is tired of all of the nonsense from both sides too. And how long can the Israeli citizens live in bomb shelters?
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-urges-immediate-halt-iran-israel-trade-strikes-massive-iranian-petrochemical
Alternative perspective: Life is too short to deny yourself the pleasure of trolling and insulting those people.
Alternative perspective: Life is too short to deny yourself the pleasure of trolling and insulting those people.
Meh. The trolling was fun for a little while and then got old. And I do not do personal insults, my momma raised me not to do that.
“Trump’s $100,000 H-1B Visa Application Fee Rejected by Judge”
https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/trump-100-000-h-1b-174949452.html
“(Bloomberg) — A federal judge struck down a $100,000 fee President Donald Trump ordered for H-1B visa applications, providing a reprieve for US technology companies that rely on hiring skilled foreign workers.”
Dadgumit. We need that fee to stop the nightmare.
“The Israel Defense Force (IDF) released color footage of strikes on an Iranian air defense system in Iran. Per the IDF release, Israel has gained relative air superiority over western and central Iran and have struck a number of air defense systems in these areas.”
https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2063938078125789273
Whoa, that is a lot of secondary explosions. They hit a big weapons cache.
Hat tip to:
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-urges-immediate-halt-iran-israel-trade-strikes-massive-iranian-petrochemical
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/06/08/defense-rests-case-after-shocking-day-in-karmelo-anthony-trial-n2677439
Anthony’s family was “dismayed”. Maybe they would have been less dismayed if they had used the $700,000 reportedly raised for his defense and for better representation, rather than rent a palatial home in a gated community, buy a couple mighty fine rides, and blow thousands on new threads.
Never underestimate White race guilt for screwing this up. I’ve watched enough Law And Order to realize that.
“What are these pajamas that you speak of?”
Coverings that delay the impulse to shoot the stranger in the mirror when you get up at night to pee.
“I am convinced that Israel was going to nuke Iran back in April and Trump talked them out of it. I think that Trump is tired of all of the nonsense from both sides too. And how long can the Israeli citizens live in bomb shelters?”
If the location of the enriched uranium is accurately known, are there nuclear options that would provide an effectively permanent solution? Would an enhanced neutron weapon on a deep penetrating delivery vehicle detonated within 10m be enough to initiate a reaction if it were 10kT? 50kT?
“A federal judge struck down a $100,000 fee President Donald Trump ordered for H-1B visa applications, providing a reprieve for US technology companies that rely on hiring skilled foreign workers.”
Dadgumit. We need that fee to stop the nightmare.”
Most of the low-level talent that the billionaires are bringing in are the equivalent of union-busting scab labor that does not meet the criteria in the law. The fall back position should be no approval unless they applicant can meet the letter of the law. There are hundreds of retired engineers, scientists, and coders that could be expert witnesses in H-1B immigration court cases.
And there are hundreds of politicians and bureaucrats, and probably federal judges, who are getting
bribesdonations from businesses who benefit from a captive labor force.This video discusses how the invasion is less about salary and more about capture. I’ve seen some of what he talks about, enough to be fairly confident about the parts that I haven’t seen myself.
And there are hundreds of politicians and bureaucrats, and probably federal judges, who are getting
bribesdonations from businesses who benefit from a captive labor force.This video discusses how the invasion is less about salary and more about capture. I’ve seen some of what he talks about, enough to be fairly confident about the parts that I haven’t seen myself.
In the software development that I was involved in with 20+ Hinditron programmers, it was about salary and “any person can code”. We proved that “any person can code” statement to be totally wrong.
Wrapping up my day.
More good food. Some wandering around in a tourist trap shopping area. I did have a couple of good conversations with the shop keepers once I convinced them I wasn’t a buyer. Much more interesting to talk to people when they feel more free to talk because they don’t have to sell to you.
Tomorrow is the snorkeling beach trip, so an early start to the day. Maybe early enough I won’t get a chance to comment until afternoon.
In any case, y’all are doing a good job holding down the fort.
n
In the software development that I was involved in with 20+ Hinditron programmers, it was about salary and “any person can code”. We proved that “any person can code” statement to be totally wrong.
BTW, as in any project to build something, good leadership is the key to making things happen, getting to points of goals that make sense.
And in a software development project, do not do the user interface last. That is a guaranteed failure.
Good night, all!
I leave you with the ultimate solution to the trolley problem.
Misanthrope? Moi?
I think you can get Penicillin for that…
Joo-Hater Jingaloo
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/06/massies-parting-shot.php
I was told that if you watched closely you could see a couple of maggots drop out of Massie’s ears during the speech, but I refuse to watch it.
Maybe if he appears on Tuckah! maggots will drop out of both their ears and we can have a betting page on Polymarket.
ATTENTION! Murderbot Spoiler Alert! Skip if you haven;’t read/listened.
I listened to the latest Murderbot on a 1300-mile drive last weekend.
I didn’t expect much based on the leakage around the fingers I placed in my ears every time a spoiler was discussed.
It was entertaining enough for a car ride, and credibly continued the humanization of Murderbot and the emancipation of the SecUnits. I hope it is well-received by Martha Wells’ fans, that it is financially successful, and her battle with cancer concludes in her favor.
That said…
The length was more a couple chapters or novella than book. I haven’t inspected the 256-page hardcover, but I suspect it is not lacking in white space.
There is too much resistance by the humans to Murderbot’s efforts to save their lives–STFU and get rescued.
The space station is a puzzle. A human civilization advanced enough to build it was not in evidence in the story–they would have been primary players and likely bosses of the galaxy we have seen so far. And such would not have made the mistake of leaving it in orbit around a devastated mined-out planet with all the control problems that would attend.