Hot and humid. Didn’t rain yesterday, might today, might not. Even if the macro forecast is correct the micro (local) weather can still be different. Rain, at least a short quick shower, would be welcome.
I didn’t do much yesterday. Got a nap. Read. Ate. Played a game with the family. Played pool with D2. Hid inside.
Today I have stuff to put away, cleanup to do, and “going home” stuff to sort out. If we go home today. Could be we stay another day if the weather in Houston is bad, and it’s nice here. Well, relatively nice.
Flexibility is good. Procrastination is bad. I will probably poke at the irrigation system some more, maybe even plumbing in one of the backup pumps. They are smaller, and might not really get the job done in the long run, but might be a stopgap. Getting the irrigation running has been a thorn in my side for a year. I’d really like to put it behind me.
So I can move on to the next issue.
I’m stacking projects like they were assets instead of liabilities. Dang.
Stack something GOOD.
nick
Beau?
Lucifer.
Be careful what you wish for, you might get it.
77 F and very overcast. We are going to get more rain today. Maybe lots of today and tomorrow.
The sciguy, Eric Berger, says 10 to 12 inches of rain may happen in the Houston area. That would suck.
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT02/refresh/AL022024_5day_cone_no_line_and_wind+png/144818_5day_cone_no_line_and_wind.png
The sciguy does not fear monger even though he is a climate disruption guy.
Beryl has not turned into a hurricane yet as it is speeding across the Gulf towards my parents house in Port Lavaca. It may just drench the Gulf Coast and we in Houston are on the “dirty” side.
A lot of Wine Moms will buy it regardless of truth.
Bad Daddy shouts.
South Texas is finally seeing effects this morning, but conditions were calm until after midnight.
Cameron County still doesn’t have evacuation warnings. We have to head home this morning, however.
Looks like we are taking the McAllen route. George West will still be ugly because that’s where we will pick up 37 into San Antonio.
The Love’s at George West should be a riot since, AFAIK, it is the only EV charging between Corpus Christi and San Antonio on 37. The Gecko just got his generator slush fund, and charging wasn’t at the Pilot/Flying-J when we drove by on Wednesday.
(The Gecko doesn’t have to deliver a single kW until 2029.)
The EVs can only line up 3-4 deep before things get confusing about whose turn is in what order.
https://spacecityweather.com/beryl-tracking-toward-matagorda-center-likely-to-pass-near-west-side-of-houston-serious-impacts-expected/
I’ve posted before: you never really “own” land in the FUSA. Some goobermint agency is always taxing it. I can see a cost for infrastructure delivered to the land younwant, but you should not be taxed just for owning it.
Stay safe in Texas.
Vacation over and return hone today. Air BnB must be out by 10 115F predicted for home. Baketown for sure. Ar least pool and are there (PGE gets richer).
Wow, they (the NWS) are predicting 113F for the next 5 days here in the California high desert.
A few years back I think it was over 100F for 30 days in a row, we might be headed that way again.
In a way it makes no difference: over 95F the a/c will be running, but it does but a crimp in out door tasks.
The California ISO said we were only using about 37GW of our available 56GW yesterday, but I wonder what Monday and everyone back to work will bring.
Millions LOVE This 80s Song But NOBODY Knows What it’s CALLED or WHO Sings it! | Professor of Rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY3IUQ9PDQo
Interesting story. Basically, all that is known is that it was taped off the air of a German radio station ca. 1984. Twenty years later, the man pulled out some cassette tapes and tried to identify some songs that were not labeled. He was successful with all but one, and that song has become an internet mystery.
I also listened/watched:
Rick Beato’s 20 Top One-Hit Wonders of the &0’s (good) and 80’s (crap).
5-6 versions of a-ha’s Take on Me, spanning 1984-2019.
Bourbon Moth’s new tactical knife inspired folding chisel ($160, pass).
Ouch. Pieces Don’t Get Much Worse Than This…
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2024/07/05/ouch-pieces-dont-get-much-worse-than-this-n3791382
Discusses article in New York Magazine (behind paywall) by Olivia Nuzzi.
David Strom bottom-lines it:
When WaPo and the NYT and the networks argue that just because 99% of political contributions made by their staffs go to Democrats that is not proof of bias, here we have the proof: Over 3-1/2 years they have actively lied. Thousands of articles spin spin spinning to cover up the fact that in 2020 they came together to sweep the discussion about FJB’s known mental deterioration under the rug and present a Potemkin facade campaign from a basement bunker under cover of COVID as legitimate.
As I said before, President Trump needs to lay it out plain that they wer key parts of a conspiracy that repeatedly lied to the citizens and put our nation at risk, so they have no claim to preferential access to the president. I could put together a list of 20 better journalists in five minutes, and it would include people like Nuzzi who tried to be honest and were shouted down. But it would primarily be composed of people who have been closed out of such access for years by a biased, self-selecting PLT LSM. To misquote Roger Miller “Pendulum swing like a pendulum do.”
Trump legal team pounces:
https://redstate.com/smoosieq/2024/07/07/donald-trumps-legal-team-has-the-audacity-to-latch-on-to-supreme-court-ruling-n2176467
Up and at ’em, Atom Ant!
Moving a bit stiffly this morning. Slept ok, neck is better.
It’s sunny and hot, 90F with crazy high humidity.
I think we’re wrapping up and out to head home. I need to be there to deal with flooding and power outages from the bad thunderstorm that is coming.
FFS people, it’s not even a hurricane.
N
No, but there will be winds and much rain, on top of the bunch of rain yesterday. I expect flooding and power outages here in Katy, and maybe in Spring Branch, too, where step-son and his GF live.
At the very least, disruption of routine.
Here in Far West San Antonio, we got about 5 minutes of “sprinkles” of rain yesterday. Didn’t really wet the sidewalk, and nothing in the rain gauge. I’m HOPING for more from currently TS Beryl, but the forecast calls for 3-5 inches of rain EAST of I-35, and not much WEST of I-35. But I’ve put away any stuff that would be damaged by water, and we’re pretty much set.
I feel for people who need rain. Here in a desert, it is not unusual to go from March to December with only a fraction of an inch in August, if any. Most of the rain falls in the mountains, where it charges our aquifers for use around the year. The desert is home to abundant adapted plant and animal life.
Off to Vegas for a week for a conference.
No, but there will be winds and much rain, on top of the bunch of rain yesterday. I expect flooding and power outages here in Katy, and maybe in Spring Branch, too, where step-son and his GF live.
At the very least, disruption of routine.
My uncle’s funeral at the Houston Veteran’s Cemetery has been delayed until we don’t know when. My aunt is freaking out.
All of the office buildings and churches around Houston are being shut down. Facilities are being readied for emergency shelters.
Hurricane / Tropical Storm Beryl is a real and present danger.
Off to Vegas for a week for a conference.
I thought that you retired ?
I sidetracked myself last night.
I said “How does all this shi(r)t work for dead folks that have no one at all to settle things?”
On the 4th a couple of friends came by. They brought some chips and hot dog buns. Along with a couple of other things needed for chili cheese dogs.. I had the hotdogs and just needed to give them a bit of char on the grill. It was a nice visit.
I asked Jim my question. He got an odd “deer in the headlights” look. He just turned 70. He had never thought about it. Ever.
I have most everything sorted.
I called USAA and they changed the name on the account to my name. That takes care of house and auto insurance.
I called his dental insurance and they wanted a letter to cancel. Nah…. I just wasted almost an hour of my life and you can’t just cancel over the phone? I contested the charge on his CC. So that’s canceled for non-payment.
I called Fidelity. They paid his retirement for years and years. They are going to “investigate” and let me know what they find.
I called the new retirement paying company and they want a copy of the death certificate. Mail or FAX, e-mail not an option. I mailed a copy last Saturday. With the Holiday, who knows when I’ll hear.
His phone is about $27 a month. It hits his CC. That’s all that hits his card. I’m going to keep his phone on to the end of the year. He has over 200 contacts and I’m not calling them. If they call sometime in the next six months, I’ll let them know what happened.
Next on the list is my phone interview with SS on August 1st. I think I qualify for survivor benefits.
After that is visiting a lawyer that can handle the deed on the house and land. Maybe a couple of grand? I don’t know. I know I’m going to put his sons on the deeds. Then when I kick it, it’s already theirs.
I have a plan. A checklist of sorts. It’s just feels so slow, like walking in hip deep water. Yeah, I know that by April I’ll be looking back and thinking “why was I so stressed?”.
Jim’s “deer in the headlights” look, though….
I had almost an inch of rain yesterday evening. No puddles, it all soaked in. The forecast says no but the clouds say it might rain some more in a few hours. Bring it on, water the trees.
So, the old single/double/triple hat trick again here: 5% humidity, 15mph winds, 113F.
If you Houstonites want to send just a teensy bit of weather our way, it would be appreciated.
But, as JimB said earlier, it is normal.
The State of California, however, has decided to implement permanent water rationing. As in a lot, forever.
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/nation/california/2024/07/03/california-announces-statewide-water-restrictions/74296516007/
The three sets of 10 movies I mentioned several days ago? So far, not bad.
Atomic Blond was a waste. It’s set in East Berlin and I made it about ⅔ through and hit eject. I have no hate for the actors, it was just boring.
Then, Dragnet with Dan Akroid. I hit eject after 20 minutes. Habla English, not “Conehead”.
A few of the movies have been pretty good. I really liked Lucy. The rest of the sets look like they will be good.
Two stinkers (so far) out of 30 movies? Not bad.
Friend of mine is scheduled for a second knee replacement in a couple of weeks. Already largely immobile from a couple of back surgeries, his doctor wrote him up for a mobility scooter. He got it a week ago and Friday evening he decided to try it out, so rather than drive to the convenience store a block away, he used the scooter.
Then he decided to cross the street before he got to the corner.
He got hit by a car. Miraculously, all the impact energy went into totaling the scooter and the car. Just enough left over to break one rib, send him flying to a skid landing and a good case of road rash. After six hours in ER and a CAT scan, they sent him home.
Guess it wasn’t his time.
We drove up through Corpus Christi around noon instead of driving through McAllen and up 281. Very quiet in terms of both weather and general panic.
The worst traffic was around the Border Patrol station on I-69. It looked like the station was on bypass earlier this morning, but several big cod piece trucks collided in stop-n-go traffic on the freeway section going around the plaza so everyone got routed through instead.
Of course, once the vehicles enter the plaza, they are subject to the “Are you citizens?” stop while the K9 sniffs the area.
Just got home about 20 minutes ago. Crossed one rain band on the way home, then it was sunshine until I got here.
Started raining as soon as I pulled in.
Guess I won’t be trimming back any trees before the storm hits.
It came down pretty hard for about 10 minutes but it’s tapered off now.
———-
@drwilliams, that is some kinda luck. Dunno if it’s good or bad, a case can be made for either. Glad your friend came thru it in ok shape.
———-
@paul, keep plugging away at it. And don’t lose heart. Are there any things that renew yearly, like an XM/Sirius subscription, or web stuff? Safe deposit boxes? Lifetime subscriptions?
——–
House smells like pee. Dog must have piddled somewhere. I’m not a fan.
n
Fixed it for you.
Driving back home through Downtown Austin today, I noticed that the big Sheraton which was used as a “Hobo Hilton” during Covid was rebranded as a Renaissance nameplate, The Downright.
I’ll leave it to the room to create the jokes. I’m tired, but I didn’t want to let that one slip by without comment.
https://townhall.com/columnists/larrybehrens/2024/07/07/only-election-deniers-reject-the-results-of-the-2024-democratic-primary-n2641274
Here’s the thing, Joe. And Tom, and Jake and all the rest of you. You have shown yourselves to be the biggest pack of conniving liars since Goebbels put together his crew of stooges. You are nothing and have nothing to say, and no right or privilege to say it with any claim to be part of a free press. You conspired to re-elect a decrepit, demented, feeble, evil old man who is incapable of filling the office now and grows less capable every day, because you thought that you could get away with it and keep a cabal of behind-the-scenes dictators in control to advance the leftist anti-American constitutional-violating agendas that you worship like the soulless idolaters that you are.
If you and your kind had any glimmer of self-respect left, you would shut your lying traitorous mouths and sneak out of the public spotlight, nurse your disgrace with copious amounts of alcohol and drugs, and die an ignominious death by your own hands. Since there never was any glimmer except worship of false gods we get to
watchignore you as you try to further destroy the country, but you need to know that you will never be held in anything but total contempt by anyone in this country who is not a contemptible zealot.Is that the new movement to nominate a Syndrome Democrat for President on the theory that they have been ‘scriminated against and should have equal outcomes and get a shot, too?
Brace for a whole lot of identifyin’.
Purple Heart Plates on a 2004 Ford Freestar van get you waved right on through.
“Beryl will bring damaging winds, heavy rain into Houston area beginning tonight”
https://spacecityweather.com/beryl-will-bring-damaging-winds-heavy-rain-into-houston-area-beginning-tonight/
“Beryl is on our doorstep, and its winds, rains, and waves will move into our area tonight. The key thing I’m watching over the next several hours is whether the storm starts intensifying, as a weaker Beryl will cause far fewer problems in Houston on Monday morning. As always, we will hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Please make plans to get home, or to a safe place this evening, and remain there through the morning hours on Monday.”
Looks like my parents house is out of the cone now.
Nope. I know this because one of my things is I pay the bills. It’s my job. He wants to buy a gub? He asks if we have $600 or so for a new gub.
Yeah. I make it happen.
Oh. A friend got hit by a car and after insurance paid, wanted to go do the Viking Cruise of the Baltic. “Can we afford this?” He had to pay for whatever and airplane tickets. Free boat ride, they had a buy one get on sale. I’m like “you’d best get your ass on that boat!”.
I pulled some money from my credit union account. Maybe the best money I’ve ever spent, ever. He had a great time. Cruising past Mockba, in February, he’s up on deck. Freezing his ass off. In the snow. While everyone is peering through portholes. He had a GREAT time. He liked the Russians he met… they seem to be well stomped down, not a lot of laughing, but nice folks.
Good times.
“A Wife’s Revenge from Beyond the Grave”
https://www.thefp.com/p/a-wifes-revenge-from-beyond-the-grave
“Caught in a brutal divorce, Catherine Kassenoff committed medically assisted suicide. Then the campaign to destroy her ex-husband truly began.”
You have got to be kidding me. This is a nightmare. Financial death by lawyers at $750 an hour.
And somebody not related to the family has dumped all of their dirty laundry on the public, getting the father fired from his job and making him unemployable.
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
Four months ago, everyone on the campaign beat in the mainstream media were still buzzing from a lovely January in Savannah and enjoying a beautiful Spring in the Super Tuesday states.
Who wanted to trudge through the snow in New Hampshire or Iowa when they could help the Dems spread some Walkin’ ‘Round money in GA and SC while indulging in the Hypocrisy Blue Plate at The Lady & Sons.
102 W. Congress, at the corner of Whitaker. Open today until 9 PM for your dining pleasure.
“Is Ben Carson Trump’s Pick for VP?”
https://www.infowars.com/posts/is-ben-carson-trumps-pick-for-vp/
““Just In: Trump Just Followed Ben Carson on Truth Social,” posted Twitter user Anthony Scott.”
“As of right now, Carson is the only VP contender followed by Trump.”
We could do much worse. We could not do much better. J. D. Vance would be awesome but, too white.
Hat tip to:
https://thelibertydaily.com/
Hopefully, TikTok will resist the order to sell and receive a ban in the US, but the most likely outcome is still a deal which will allow them to continue operations.
BTW – A lawyer for Pfizer. My heart bleeds.
Power outage now 1 hr 20 mn and 112F. No est restore time. House up to 80F on a slow rise. I was just about to unload the three ice chests but now I may have to go get more ice. I at least have the pool but haven’t checked how warm it is. With the heat wave I might be close to 90. If I go for ice all drive around, car ac is excellent
Just looking at the weather radar https://news4sanantonio.com/weather/radar Beryl looks like it has veered a little to the east, and is heading more toward Houston than Matagorda Bay. Still only a tropical storm, but forecast to be a Cat1 hurricane at landfall.
“REPORT: “Sh*t is Going to Hit the Fan” When Congress Returns Monday – All Eyes on Nancy Pelosi as Dems Want Biden Gone By the End of the Week”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/07/report-sht-is-going-hit-fan-when-congress/
“Axios on Sunday dropped an explosive report that a fast-growing number of Democrats are begging and plotting an intervention as Dementia Joe refuses to quit the Presidental race. They want everyone from the Obamas to congressional leaders to persuade Biden to drop out by this Friday.”
“Top Democrats want Biden out by then because they hope he will endorse Harris as his successor and help ward off an all-out brawl at the Democratic Convention in Chicago for the nomination.”
Whatever.
Brawl, please.
25th Amendment
https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-25/
Trying to do that without Joe’s resignation could get spicy. The Speaker of the House would need to agree to remove him.
If FJB is too far gone to run for president at this time, he is too far gone to be president betwen now andJan 20. The second follows inexorably from the first.
The 25th Amendment is the corrective action. That path is solely dependent on the Democrats doing their constitutional duty. There is nothing they can do to make it bipartisan, and Speaker Johnson needs to make it clear: If VP Harris does not do the job that she is sworn to do, she is unfit for office and will be impeached.
Harris, of course , was part of the conspiracy that covered up the incompetence of FJB and has put the nation at risk for years. If it comes to filing articles, I expect those charges to be included.
Anyone hoping that FJB is going to get forced out and endorse Harris on the way out is deluded. Bidens don’t roll that way, unless one the pencil-neck Facebook billionaire writes a big check and it clears instanto.
The Dems have six weeks to force Biden out and settle on a new candidate to replace the one that millions of voters cast primary ballots for after the whole party claimed that FJB was the Energizer Bunny and always the smartest one in the room*. During that whole time they are going to be hammered flat by the ads pointing out the above.
Note that Clyburn apparently dumped Biden today. He has enjoyed the “kingmaker” appellation for four years, and you can bet that he wants to upstage Obama and insure that the next president–and possibly the VP as well, for a new world record–has at least one drop.
*With Harris in the room he’s still not last.
ADDED:
And don’t forget that multiple felonies are hanging over the Biden Crime Family. Those undated pardons will get issued before FJB leaves office. If that’s before Nov, the optics for the Dems will be thoroughly coated with choice cesspool product.
Six weeks until the Democrat convention.
But if Gov DeWine and the spineless Republicans in Ohio had not caved and kept the original deadline to get on the ballot in Ohio, the timeline would be four weeks.
Black radio station interviewer follows scripted questions from Biden campaign, gets fired by management.
Sounds like a commitment to journalism:
https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2024/07/07/the-question-scandal-and-what-happened-to-the-radio-host-n2176493
My fav youtube weather guy, Ryan Hall says sugar land is one of the places that will be getting the full effect…
n
Sounds like the radio station management knows that the Walkin’ ‘Round money flow from Corn Pop is coming to an end.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13601987/Blackadder-nearly-axed-season-BBC-didnt-realise-potential-study-reveals.html
Season one is weak. Season 4 hits very hard and is a bit depressing. 2 and 3 rock.
n
My fav youtube weather guy, Ryan Hall says sugar land is one of the places that will be getting the full effect…
https://spacecityweather.com/beryl-just-below-hurricane-strength-as-it-nears-texas-coast-tonight/
The wife and I moved all of the patio chairs, tables, and garbage cans into the garage and house.
“Antifa Active Again”
https://areaocho.com/antifa-active-again/
“A USF student participated in the pro-Gaza/anti-Israel protests back in April. The group of protesters was armed with umbrellas and shields made of wood. They violently took over campus and were making demands of the university. They stood there together in a circle with arms locked as tear gas was deployed and refused to stop disrupting campus.”
“The college held a hearing, alleging that she and other students violated school rules and the law when they used violence to disrupt campus activities. As a result of that hearing, she was expelled just three days before completing her degree in women’s studies.”
At some point, these people will need resolving.
“Season one is weak.”
Sniveling Edmund the dimwitted schemer was not a sympathetic character. Brian Blessed and Elspeth Gray played their parts brilliantly, as did a number of others.
The Blackadders of series 2,3, and 4 hewed back to the original concept of Blackadder as an intelligent schemer.
“At some point, these people will need resolving.”
The modern KKK, shock troops of the Democrat Party. Amazing how Garland’s DOJ just can’t seem to get a handle on them.
Season one did have it’s moments..
“ Nah, that’s the Earl of Doncaster…”
n
sometimes your disguise works too well.
The modern KKK
– I’m guessing that 95 out of every 100 “members” are really CIs, snitches, or UC agents.
n
So, no great loss, because an ALMOST “degree” in women’s studies isn’t worth any less than an ACTUAL degree in women’s studies when it comes to getting a job at Starbucks. And a degree in women’s studies won’t get you any genuine JOB offers anywhere else.
Just from a humane perspective, what’s being done to FJB, most sane people would consider elder abuse.
Sad what some people will do for money and power.
Funny how quickly it went from flat out denial to “of course he has to go”.
n
Light rain and the wind is picking up. I’m headed to bed.
Tomorrow is likely to be a long day.
n
France, well, that was a disappointment. I don’t quite understand how their parliamentary votes work, but it looked like Ms. LePen was going to get a chance, and then they went and voted left after all. Likewise the UK. Yes, the Tories are complete idiots. Immigration actually increased under their leadership, despite the promises of Brexit. Now the Labour has canceled the plans to expel illegals. It’s going to be another few years before those two countries have another chance. Meanwhile, at least in parts of the UK, Muslims are actually a majority. So the problems may not be fixable.
And the USA? Biden is, unbelievably, continuing to run. If Trump can organize enough trained election observers to keep fraud under control, he ought to win. If he is elected, will he actually do useful stuff? Sadly, he will probably do the same as in his first term: surround himself with people who tell him what a great guy he is, and actually accomplish almost nothing.
If someone dies “intestate”, i.e., with no heirs or next of kin, the local government will step in. In the absence of an obvious will, the government will take any assets for itself (“escheatment”). There may be a waiting period, to give heirs a chance to claim the estate, but that depends on the locality.
Of course, it would take effort over months to wrap things up cleanly, so that won’t happen. There will be lots of loose ends. Individuals and companies will just find their mail being returned, and will have to figure out what happened.