Tues. May 20, 2025 – just another day in May, which is the 5th month

By on May 20th, 2025 in culture, decline and fall

Warm and humid again, with some sun. That describes what ended up happening Monday. The sun poked through and broiled my brains. The same is on deck for today.

I spent the morning yesterday doing home things. I put stuff away. I got stuff down from the attic. I stacked some stuff for later. And then I took a whole pickup full of mostly speakers and amps to my buddy’s shop where I’ll meet people to sell them on Craigslist. That got a bunch of stuff out of my “library”. I took some of the stuff for my local auction over there too. I’m about to rearrange and move a bunch of things in my local home environment, as soon as I am sure of what I want to do. Getting stuff out of the way helps. I did some kid taxi later, and even got the broken sprinkler head replaced.

Little things, but needed things.

Today I have pickups. Some down in Missouri City, some in Cypress. More driving than I’d like in a single day, but can’t be helped. As long as I can generate some forward movement and momentum, I’m happy. Of course that will come to a slamming halt with the end of school year, Memorial Day, and then a week in central Florida with my mom and siblings. Or maybe just sibling, but mom is looking forward to it. Life. Overrated.

Or not.

Do what you can. Move forward if you can. Stay even if you can’t. Limit how much you fall behind if that doesn’t work. Stack.

nick

70 Comments and discussion on "Tues. May 20, 2025 – just another day in May, which is the 5th month"

  1. Greg Norton says:

    So the electricity usage in Texas is not going to triple in the next ten years ?

    Isn’t the AI supposed to iteratively create better versions of its software than humans could develop?

    Software efficiency has been an afterthought for years, a point which John Carmack recently spotlighted on X.

    https://www.techspot.com/news/107918-john-carmack-suggests-return-software-optimization-could-stave.html

    Plus, Moore’s Law may or may not be dead, but transistor density and manufacturing processes continue to improve.

  2. Greg Norton says:

    >>Last month, reports indicated O’Connor was on the short list of witnesses House Republicans want to question over his role in concealing the president’s cognitive decline. That testimony is long overdue—and more necessary now than ever.

    Can’t O’Connor hide behind doctor / patient confidentiality and refuse to answer? 

    To borrow a Clintonism, there is no controlling legal authority above O’Connor other than the Army chain of command, the state in which he holds his license, and his board organization.

    Something smells about the intense scrutiny of the White House physicians in the media this week.

    The last three WH doctors have been DOs, something which I’m sure sticks in the craws of the AMA leadership.

  3. Greg Norton says:

    More retail apocalypse.

    Bahama Breeze has abruptly closed 15 restaurants after suffering a sharp decline in earnings.

    Bahama Breeze has been in trouble since Darden created the chain in the 90s.

    The restaurants don’t seem to do well outside Darden’s home market of Central Florida.

    Margaritaville is probably tough competition for that Parrothead dollar as of late.

  4. nick flandrey says:

    Had a power outage last night.   From the alert emails it looks like it was about an hour, maybe a little longer.   I figured 45 minutes based on my clock.  Time to replace the memory hold battery.

    The note was —

    We are aware of a power issue at or near [street address] that is currently affecting approximately 20 customers. We estimate that your power will be restored on or before 05/20 02:44 AM. Please note the actual time required may vary barring any unforeseen hazardous conditions or nature of repairs needed. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as our crews work to complete the repairs as quickly and safely as possible.

    A later note blamed it on “equipment damage”.    Given the time and conditions, I figured a car hit something or maybe  a branch came down on my line.   Had to be VERY local to only affect 20 of us.   There are some advantages to the smart meters…

    n

  5. nick flandrey says:

    79F and overcast this am.   Coffee in cup.  Females stirring.

    Time to get some people moving though.

    One week of school left.

    n

  6. nick flandrey says:

    “Reverse” discrimination is discrimination was something my dad said in the 70s and 80s.   You have to twist pretty hard and make some assertions as if they were facts to think otherwise.

    n

  7. Greg Norton says:

    The last three WH doctors have been DOs, something which I’m sure sticks in the craws of the AMA leadership.

    The AMA has a plan for you.

    When is an MD not an MD?

    When the degree says MBBS but the state allows MD on the shingle out of desperation.

  8. Ray Thompson says:

    Up early according to the local clock, but slept in late according to my biological clock.

    The water is rough again. There is constant side-to-side rocking. When I was in bed waiting to fall asleep I could really feel the movement. Either it was not enough for me to get sick, or the Scopolamine is working. Regardless, I will take it.

    First port of call today. It will be interesting to see if I get cell service again as I will actually be on U.S. soil.

    Everyone has to go through immigration. We did that when we left Vancouver. Will we have to have our passports checked again when we rebound? I don’t know. If the ship is still in U.S. water I don’t think passports will be scanned.

  9. MrAtoz says:

    I think I will take lesson from this to night buy a phone on the monthly payment plan just to get the rebate. Yes, I save several hundred dollars.

    Several years ago, I started buying my iPhones outright so I can pick any plan I want. It costs more outright, but I save up during the year to make it less painful. I’m not going back to buying a phone through a provider.

    Posted in “yesterday” by mistake.

  10. MrAtoz says:

    Arrived in SA last night. When I travel for extended periods, I take my Pelican Air case loaded with gadgets as a checked bag. A nice hardshell case with five latches. I put two TSA locks on it to “keep an honest man honest.” When I was waiting at baggage claim in SA (SWA is the worst baggage handler), the Pelican didn’t come out. I checked the AirTag I keep in it, and it was nearby. After waiting 15 more minutes, I went to the claim desk. “I’m missing a bag… Oh wait, I see it in the back…” The doosh fat fem pulled it because “it is a hard-side case with locks on it. It might have a gun inside.” WTF. “I didn’t declare a gun inside on check-in and have travelled coast to coast with it with no problem.” No supervisor around to make a complaint, so the doosh fat female won.

    SA Southwest baggage handling is the worst.

  11. Greg Norton says:

    Several years ago, I started buying my iPhones outright so I can pick any plan I want. It costs more outright, but I save up during the year to make it less painful. I’m not going back to buying a phone through a provider.
     

    I keep the previous iPhones until Apple stops supporting the devices with firmware updates.

    My first gen iPhone SE just received an update. 

    Certain models are sacred to Apple and receive support for an unusually long time. The iPhone 3GS was one. The first SE seems to be another.

    Steve Jobs possibly helped AT&T break the union to get the 3GS out in 2009 since the extra memory was desperately needed for the App Store model to work.

    Form factor may be what keeps the SE supported longer than usual.

    The iPhone stopped being strictly a professional tool and became a toy for the masses as the screen sizes increased beyond the iPhone 5.

  12. PaultheManc says:

    I have a wifi doorbell adjacent to my front door.  To provide wifi for the doorbell, I have an extender located in an nearby bedroom.

    For some time I have experienced problems with this arrangement, with the doorbell no longer communicating and a power cycle of the extender and/or doorbell required to reconnect.  I tried to diagnose a source for the problem, including having replaced an older TP-link extender, with a newer one (which didn’t noticeably  impact on the problem).  Browsing the internet, there were comments about TP-link extenders dropping connection (suggestion is overheating).  I therefore decided to replace the TP-link extender, with a low cost MERCUSYS ME30 extender.  Been about two weeks now, and no disconnect from the main router.  Fingers crossed I might have a reliable connection now.

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  13. MrAtoz says:

    Apple’s iOS has a “Visual Siri” button where you can take a picture of something and have AI tell you about it. Sort of like Google Lens (which I use frequently), so I tried a comparison:

    I took a picture of my left foot using each app while wearing my leather Peluva barefoot shoes.

    Google Lens: “You are wearing Peluva shoes. Here are some more pictures and links to buy some.”

    Siri: “This is a picture of a severe blister on someone’s foot. Here are some more pictures of blistered feet.”

    LOL! Steve Jobs’ carcass is rolling over. Apple AI sucks dead bunnies.

  14. Denis says:

    Siri: “This is a picture of a severe blister on someone’s foot.

    In fairness, those “shoes” do look like something potentially incurable… 🙂

    A beautiful day here. Shorts and T-shirt weather. Off to the woods this evening. Watch out, Bambi!

  15. Greg Norton says:

    Google Lens: “You are wearing Peluva shoes. Here are some more pictures and links to buy some.”

    Siri: “This is a picture of a severe blister on someone’s foot. Here are some more pictures of blistered feet.”

    LOL! Steve Jobs’ carcass is rolling over. Apple AI sucks dead bunnies.

    When the monetary cost is ”free” as in beer,  the product is you.

    The hive mind now knows what type of casual footwear you favor. That probably correlates to other products which they can sell ads targeting you.

    Walmart for instance identified a correlation between beer and diaper purchases.

    For a while, post deregulation of hard liquor in WA State, our local Fred Meyer (Kroger) had a end cap of Jack Daniel’s at the start of the cat supplies aisle.

    Who knows what Peluva ties into, but you will soon find out!

  16. nick flandrey says:

    @ PaultheManc,  I use a TP Link extender to get a better signal to the amazon firestick in the back bedroom.  I was experiencing disconnects too.  I blamed the extender.   Last week I saw the cleaning people unplug the extender to plug in a vacuum cleaner…

    I’m not sure if it has a problem or not, but at least some of the disconnects were human caused.

    I have since added an ethernet adapter to the firestick and connected it hardwire, but I am leaving the TP Link in place for now as it helps with the kindles when I read in bed.

    At some point, I’ll get the WAP installed and be off the dang thing.

    FWIW, I use one at the BOL to get signal in the dockhouse.   The starlink wifi is very weak so the booster/extender helps.

    n

  17. nick flandrey says:

    I put a band on my new galaxy smartwatch, so I’m wearing it today.   So far, I don’t like the near constant buzzing to alert me of stuff.  Makes me feel like I’ve got a nerve issue, and I can imagine developing the same phantom vibration I used to have with a pager…

    Still overcast.   Time to head out though.

    n

  18. Geoff Powell says:

    @MrAoz:

    No supervisor around to make a complaint, so the doosh fat female won.

    Given the described circumstances, I have to wonder about motives here. 

    Now, correlation is not causation, but…

    G.

  19. dkreck says:

    Catching up and just read SH…

    https://accordingtohoyt.com/2025/05/16/i-know-when-i-dont-see-it/

    Big Tish 

  20. lpdbw says:

    I actually finally have a legit use for AI, after avoiding it up until now.

    I need to produce a piece of artwork that looks remarkably like an invoice for services rendered.

    I don’t particularly want to pay for it, of course, since I’m cheap.

    Where do I start?  I am a complete novice here.  Grok, ChatGPT, something else?

    Yes, I realize if there’s no charge, I’m the product.  I’m also not naive enough to think all the harvesting wouldn’t happen even if there is a charge.

  21. Ray Thompson says:

    I’m not going back to buying a phone through a provider

    I don’t usually do that but the offering from Xfinity was too good pass up. A two years old phone that I paid $1,000 when new and Xfinity offered $900 in rebates. Spread over 24 months. In retrospect it was probably not wise. But we had no plans to travel outside the U.S. when the phone was purchased. We are close as my contract with Xfinity is over this September.

    I use a TP Link extender

    I have an extender from a company I cannot name as it was given to me as part of a beta test.

    I plug that extender into an outlet that is on one of the exterior walls. I get signal to the entire patio where the pool is located.

    I have acquired four of that company’s products. A voice modem that never went to market that I am continuing to use.. A portable hot spot that I gave away as it easier to tether to my iPhone. I have a WiFi 7 router that I don’t use. Now I have this extender which I will continue using.

  22. lynn says:

    I think I will take lesson from this to night buy a phone on the monthly payment plan just to get the rebate. Yes, I save several hundred dollars.

    Several years ago, I started buying my iPhones outright so I can pick any plan I want. It costs more outright, but I save up during the year to make it less painful. I’m not going back to buying a phone through a provider.

    Ah, the Rush Limbaugh plan.

    I’ll bet that Rush has a captains chair and suite in Elysium.

  23. Greg Norton says:

    Ah, the Rush Limbaugh plan.
     

    I doubt Limbaugh ever paid for another Apple product after the Time magazine profile piece circa 1992 which included a centerfold picture of Limbaugh hunched over an early PowerBook, with the Apple logo clearly visible.

    Friends in Cupertino will acknowledge the Kharmic debt behind closed doors.

    Limbaugh and, believe it or not, Ross Perot,

    The modern Apple OS is essentially NeXT OS, which Perot invested a lot of money into for about a decade.

  24. Greg Norton says:

    For some time I have experienced problems with this arrangement, with the doorbell no longer communicating and a power cycle of the extender and/or doorbell required to reconnect.

    Check the WiFi channel width on your router’s advanced settings. If you have a lot of neighbors running hotspots, you will need to restrict the bandwidth.

    Usually, at least two setting are available in a menu somewhere. If not, get another manufacturers router to test.

    Another change to try is turning off 5 GHz. That band tends to be lousy at a distance.

  25. drwilliams says:

    “I think I was quite stupid…” –Bill Gates

    https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2025/05/20/elon-musk-gives-a-savage-response-to-bill-gates-n2657358

    Hold on, Bug Boy.

    The first part is doubtful, and the second uses the wrong tense.

    Let me help:

    “I am quite stupid.”

    There you go. Short and accurate.

    4
    1
  26. paul says:

    I ran a speed test this morning from Emu.  308 by 17 at 7 AM.   https://openspeedtest.com/results/71850339  Fastest yet. 

    Just now, 188 by 14.  There have been no lags in page loading.  None of that “the internet just shut off for a few minutes” and “right click to reload image” nonsense. 

    The 308 is probably about maximum for my Nanobeam pair.  Their webpage says they are running 550 to 640.  But that’s through-put.  Send and Receive added together… to make a nice number.   I suppose I could get energetic some morning when it’s running fast and see what Moa gets without the Nanobeams in the path.  But don’t hold your breath waiting.

    Nice day today.  Sunny with wispy clouds.  Just a bit of breeze and low humidity.  87F and 26% is low, right? 

  27. paul says:

    Check the WiFi channel width on your router’s advanced settings.

    Width and Channel.  Look at both.  I don’t know if my router has the settings because I’ve never used it for wi-fi.

    But I’ve played with it in the NanoBeams and it does make a difference.  Wider is better, like a bigger water pipe feeding a sprinkler system.  Channels, to torture things, is like sprinkler heads watering the same spot. 

    5 GHz has “more speed” aka bandwidth but the higher frequencies have less distance.

  28. paul says:

    I need to produce a piece of artwork that looks remarkably like an invoice for services rendered.

    Duuude…. it’s called Paint Shop Pro.  Or Photoshop.  If you have either.

    Way back in ‘88 or ’89 an asshole ran a light and I hit him.  Hydroplaned right into him.  My just paid off Chevy?  The insurance paid less than half of what a used replacement sold for in the classified ads.  So much for Full Coverage and Comprehensive.

    That’s when I bought the Volare wagon.  But they wanted $600 a year for basic insurance on a $1000.54 car.

    So I would Xerox it.  Cut out the numbers I needed to update the card and scotch tape them on.  Make another copy and hey, it looked like an original.  Certainly worked to buy tags at HEB for a few years.

    By the way, scotch tape, the magic / frosted kind, covers the paper seams. 

    It’s all computerized now.  I don’t even need to show insurance or inspection at the courthouse… they know. 

  29. Lynn says:

    “W.H.O. Adopts Pandemic Treaty, Expanding Its Power over Disease Management Worldwide”

       https://www.breitbart.com/health/2025/05/20/w-h-o-adopts-pandemic-treaty-expanding-its-power-over-disease-management-worldwide/

    “The World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) body made up of its state members, formally adopted the Pandemic Agreement on Tuesday, an international legal document that commits signatories to sharing medical technology, expanding vaccination campaigns, and promoting “equity.””

    Yeah, equity amongst the officers running the WHO.

    “The final version of the document, completed in April, passed the World Health Assembly with 124 votes. Reuters reported that 11 nations abstained, notably including Iran, Israel, and Russia. Some of the most vocal opponents of the agreement, including America and Argentina, were not present, as they have withdrawn from the W.H.O.”

    Yup, the important item is that the USA is not a part of the WHO.

    Hat tip to:

        https://thelibertydaily.com/

    10
  30. Lynn says:

    “Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Shield Expected To Cost $500 Billion”

        https://headlineusa.com/trumps-golden-dome-missile-shield-expected-to-cost-500-billion/

    “(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump’s plan to develop a new massive missile defense system for the US, dubbed the “Golden Dome” or the “Iron Dome for America,” is expected to cost $500 billion over the next 20 years, CNN reported on Monday, citing an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office.”

    “The project will be a boondoggle for US weapons makers, and, according to a report from Reuters, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has emerged as a frontrunner to develop key parts of the missile shield. The report said SpaceX has partnered with Palantir and Anduril on the project.”

    Worth it.  But the cost will be $5 trillion.

    8
    2
  31. Lynn says:

    “I Should Know Better”

        https://areaocho.com/i-should-know-better-3/

    “At dinner, I began losing my words. It started when I tried to say “skin in the game” and what came out was entirely different. Then I couldn’t really hold a train of thought long enough to continue our conversation. When we tried to leave, I was walking like I was drunk. My wife drove us home. When I got home, I was feeling confused, my pulse was 125, and temperature was 101.9f. I asked her to take me to the ED.”

    It happens to the best of us.  I am glad he is doing ok now.

  32. Ken Mitchell says:

    Last week I saw the cleaning people unplug the extender to plug in a vacuum cleaner…

    You’ve read the old joke about that, the server that kept failing at 2AM?

  33. Greg Norton says:

    “I think I was quite stupid…” –Bill Gates
     

    Gates had to step away from Microsoft completely at around that time as another affair with another staffer came to light.

    2017 was also about when the Geico Gecko and Gates parted ways and the concern about succession started to dominate the annual BRK event in Omaha.

    Gates had widely been viewed as a potential Chairman to succeed Buffett.

    The Gecko has a weird personal life, but he doesnt even move the needle compared to Gates.

    The rumor is now that Gates is firmly back in charge in Redmond, driving the company’s AI push.

  34. Greg Norton says:

    You’ve read the old joke about that, the server that kept failing at 2AM?
     

    After IBM stiffed the Death Star on my Linux port of Netclient, we started hearing about how extensively the company used the software, running whole data centers in China on the secure link through the Great Firewall.

    It worked well for IBM, but they couldn’t solve a nagging problem where the VPN got cut every Sunday night around 2 AM EST.

    My theory was that that’s when the Chinese proxy would attempt to renegotiate the tunnel down the SSL connection, something my software prevented by disconnecting the session, but who knows.

    Maybe someone pulled the plug on the PC to run a vacuum.

  35. Lynn says:

    When I travel for extended periods, I take my Pelican Air case loaded with gadgets as a checked bag. A nice hardshell case with five latches. I put two TSA locks on it to “keep an honest man honest.”

    My five inch locking blade Swiss Army Knife in my checked bag disappeared this trip.  That pisses me off.

       https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-One-Hand-Trekker-Pocket/dp/B000687B44?tag=ttgnet-20/

  36. drwilliams says:

    TSA has way too many thieves and incompetents.

    We know the worst airports for thefts out of baggage. FBI needs to run some stings and put some people in jail. Twenty years for a pocket knife is about right. 

    9
    1
  37. Greg Norton says:

    TSA has way too many thieves and incompetents.

    We know the worst airports for thefts out of baggage. FBI needs to run some stings and put some people in jail. Twenty years for a pocket knife is about right. 

    Tampa has a little outbuilding where the luggage is “sorted”, site of the former Airside B due east of the main terminal.

  38. nick flandrey says:

    The project will be a boondoggle for US weapons makers  

    – I’m getting weary.   “I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”

    It’s more likely to “prove to be a boon” or “a good thing” than “a project that is perceived as a waste of resources and effort, often undertaken for the purpose of appearing productive or fulfilling political goals, rather than achieving a tangible outcome.”

    ——

    home.   missed 4 pickups because I had to get the kid from school.   Some I can get tomorrow, but I’ve got other stuff on the schedule already.   That’s how I fall further behind.

    —–

    It’s hot and very humid.   Head spinning if you spend even a short time in the sun hot.

    Divemedic got lucky.  

    My early warning to stop this shit right now and cool off, increased respiration, short, shallow and rapid.   Increased heartrate.  And of course, sweating stops and it’s not dripping off my nose.    The breathing is the easiest to notice.

    n

  39. nick flandrey says:

    Truth is finally coming out.    I’d investigate the walkouts.   What was their role?

    Dozens of NIH staff stormed out of a packed auditorium yesterday after a Trump-appointed doctor suggested the US helped start the Covid pandemic.

    The government employees, some wearing face masks, walked out as Dr Jay Bhattacharya delivered his first town hall speech as head of America’s top research institution.

    Moments earlier, the NIH boss said: ‘It’s possible that the pandemic was caused by research conducted by human beings, and it’s also possible that the NIH partly sponsored that research.’

    He then broke off as at least 30 scientists stormed out, before calling after them, ‘It’s nice to have free speech. You’re welcome, you guys.’

    In the years leading up to the pandemic, the NIH was funding controversial virus manipulation experiments at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where the CIA and FBI believe the Covid virus leaked from.

    After the scientists left, Dr Bhattacharya continued: ‘If it’s true that we sponsored research that caused the pandemic — and if you look at polls of the American people, that’s what most people believe, and I’ve looked at the scientific evidence and I believe it — [then] what we have to do is make sure that we don’t engage in research that is any risk…to human populations.’

    Within days it was clear from open source info that a lab leak at wuhan was the most likely cause.   And it’s fact that we were funding research there thru a third party with an innocuous name.  The guy who wrote the “white paper” refuting the lab leak origin has walked back his paper, saying iirc “it was just a 3000 word opinion piece, you weren’t supposed to take it seriously”.

    I want to see Fauxhi in a witness box, then a pine box if convicted.

    n

    11
  40. Greg Norton says:

    The project will be a boondoggle for US weapons makers  

    – I’m getting weary.   “I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”

    It’s more likely to “prove to be a boon” or “a good thing” than “a project that is perceived as a waste of resources and effort, often undertaken for the purpose of appearing productive or fulfilling political goals, rather than achieving a tangible outcome.”

    US DoD spending. Boondoggle is the right word.

    It will be good for Elon and private equity such as the ever mysterious Ballie Gifford, largest single shareholder of Moderna and rumored large backer of SpaceX.

    The SpaceX IPO is coming.

  41. Lynn says:

    “Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Shield Expected To Cost $500 Billion”

        https://headlineusa.com/trumps-golden-dome-missile-shield-expected-to-cost-500-billion/

    “(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump’s plan to develop a new massive missile defense system for the US, dubbed the “Golden Dome” or the “Iron Dome for America,” is expected to cost $500 billion over the next 20 years, CNN reported on Monday, citing an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office.”

    “The project will be a boondoggle for US weapons makers, and, according to a report from Reuters, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has emerged as a frontrunner to develop key parts of the missile shield. The report said SpaceX has partnered with Palantir and Anduril on the project.”

    Worth it.  But the cost will be $5 trillion.

    BTW, I fully expect to see two or more space stations, a space gas station, and a space hotel out of this.  SpaceX is going to put up a lot of equipment to support the Golden Dome.

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  42. Lynn says:

    “Trump Loses Patience With SALT Demand as Tax Bill Faces Snag”

        https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-downplays-salt-cap-hike-134052392.html

    “Trump told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday he wants to keep the SALT deduction limit at $30,000, the level in the draft legislation. That’s three times the current $10,000 cap.”

    “In a meeting on Monday, the speaker offered to raise the cap on the SALT deduction from the $30,000 limit set in the legislation to $40,000 but only for four years and for people making less than $751,000, said a person familiar with the matter. After four years, the limit would snap back to $30,000 with a $400,000 income limit.”

    I want to move to a 10% flat income tax.  Every dollar of income will be taxed.  No deductions except for business costs.

  43. Lynn says:

    The SpaceX IPO is coming.

    Maybe.  Musk does not need cash at the moment and he hates people looking over his shoulder.

  44. PaultheManc says:

    Check the WiFi channel width on your router’s advanced settings. If you have a lot of neighbors running hotspots, you will need to restrict the bandwidth.

    Usually, at least two setting are available in a menu somewhere. If not, get another manufacturers router to test.

    Another change to try is turning off 5 GHz. That band tends to be lousy at a distance.

    Yep – the router has a bandwidth analyser, so I had checked that.  I also run that extender on 2.4GHz, as that is all the doorbell with handle.  So, with a currently stable extender, I am still pointing at the TP-link units.

  45. Denis says:

    Watch out for the heat! Very glad Divemedic didn’t kick the bucket.

    W1 wants some gardening/landscaping  done at the BOL. I have arranged to see if the local guy with a digger can do it. I am not breaking up and loading concrete in the May/June heat. Not I.

    Score one fewer Bambi this evening. The grill awaits. Natural justice: the drag out was long and uphill. I had to do it in stages, but I managed it eventually. Always have a skein of rope in your rucksack. Much easier on the hands than relying on gripping strength alone.

    It was a beautiful evening, and I was sitting in the rays of the setting sun. The deer came out, as they often do, in that magical hour between sundown and last light.

    We have had no rain for a month or more. The woods are crispy, crunchy. Difficult to be stealthy, and the fire risk must be high. The drought also favours the beetle that attacks the evergreens. Not good news for the trees. On the other hand, it has been a good spring for hare and deer babies, and for chicks of ground-nesting birds.  There is loads of insect life. Several types of flying creatures were celebrating their nuptials this evening. No mosquitos, thank goodness. I saw a Maikäfer (cockchafer, Melolontha) too!

    There is another, bigger, buck at the same spot. He was too far off for a reliable shot this evening, and I glimpsed him only briefly. Tomorrow, or better the day after (let things quieten down…), I will bring the scope with higher magnification and keep a sharp eye out.

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  46. EdH says:

    While they had been predicting temperatures in the 90 Fahrenheit and above for the rest of the week, the high winds kept me off the roof and setting up the swamp cooler.

    Then, suddenly, at 10 AM wind suddenly dropped to near zero from the 20mph they’ve been all night. Since it was only 80 Fahrenheit I went ahead and climbed up to the roof and de-winterized the swamp cooler and got it going. 

    It is currently 92 Fahrenheit so I’m glad I had the opportunity. I need new pads of course, but even without new the swamper can handle a mild 92 on low without any issues.

    Temperature and heat can be deadly. The builder and previous owner of this place passed away after doing this particular chore in July of 2017….

  47. Greg Norton says:

    “Trump Loses Patience With SALT Demand as Tax Bill Faces Snag”

    The SALT cap paid for a large expansion in the personal exemption.

    We went from paying every year to a small refund up until this year.

    I doubt that the SALT cap will go much higher than 30,000 unless the Texas Legislature fails to pass more “reform” for the ballot in the Fall.

  48. MrAtoz says:

    R.I.P. George Wendt

  49. nick flandrey says:

     SpaceX is going to put up a lot of equipment to support the Golden Dome.

    –  someone will, and if you get actual usable results, then it’s not a boondoggle. 

    It might be expensive.  It might be unneeded.   But if it’s really there, and works (at least partly and some of the time) then that’s a result.  

    If spacex does it there will be a ton of ancillary knowledge base built, and lots of “free” stuff.

    n

  50. nick flandrey says:

    Well there’s something you don’t see that often, several harmonicas in this auction…

    https://hypnotiqueauctions.hibid.com/catalog/646135/hypnotique-lake-conroe-estate-auction 

    n

  51. nick flandrey says:

    More info about the IVF clinic bombing

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14732897/guy-bartkus-fertility-clinic-bomber-father-anti-test-tube.html 

    n

    Those types of explosives are normally difficult for civilians to access, but increasingly people are finding ways to concoct explosives at home, he said.

    ‘Once you know the chemistry involved, it´s pretty easy to get stuff,’ Sweetow said. ‘The ingredients you could get at a grocery store.’

    The images of the aftermath also showed that the explosion appeared to blow from the street straight through the building and to the parking lot on the other side, something that could have been intentional or pure luck, Sweetow said.

    A part of the car was also blown through the building and landed in the back by a dumpster.

  52. Greg Norton says:

    R.I.P. George Wendt

    Sure, “Norm”, but “Da Bears” was the first thing that popped into my head.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL3EdlDZEBw

    Brian Dennehy and Chris Farley too. RIP.

  53. Greg Norton says:

    I finally figured out how to configure our new HP multifunction printer to scan to a network folder.

    I liked the old multifunction printer better, but HP no longer makes the print heads. 

    “New” print heads on EBay and Amazon are not truly new.

  54. Lynn says:

    “Watch Alexander Skarsgård as a robot with a heart in ‘Murderbot’”

        https://thestreamable.com/how-to-watch-murderbot

    “Alexander Skarsgård plays a rogue security android with a secret soft spot for soap operas in “Murderbot,” a sharp new sci-fi comedy thriller from Apple TV+. Based on the hit book series by Martha Wells, the show follows a self-aware bot who’s supposed to protect humans — except it’s hacked its own system, hates feelings, and mostly just wants to be left alone. But when a new mission goes sideways, Murderbot has to play nice (and pretend it’s still following orders) while trying to stay alive. The 10-episode season kicks off with two episodes on Friday, May 16, only on Apple TV+.”

    I may have to get Apple TV+ now.  I got HBO / Max recently so I could watch “The Last Of Us”.

        https://www.max.com/shows/last-of-us/93ba22b1-833e-47ba-ae94-8ee7b9eefa9a

  55. Lynn says:

    “SpaceX Discounts Starlink Mini Dish to $299 in the US, But It Won’t Last Long”

        https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-starlink-mini-dish-discount-299-in-us-may-28

    “Retailers including Walmart, Target, and Best Buy are also offering the discount.”

    “If you’ve been eyeing the Starlink Mini dish, now is a good time to buy. SpaceX is offering it at a 50% discount, bringing the price down to $299.”

    “The Mini dish is compact enough to fit into a backpack. It debuted about a year ago, and earned high marks from PCMag for its portability and relatively fast internet speeds, although it lags behind the standard Starlink dish. The Mini model also includes a built-in Wi-Fi router, but you’ll need a compatible power supply if you plan on using it on the go, like during a camping trip.”

  56. Lynn says:

    The last three WH doctors have been DOs, something which I’m sure sticks in the craws of the AMA leadership.

    “What kind of doctor is a D.O.? Does a D.O. have the same training as an M.D.?”

        https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/osteopathic-medicine/faq-20058168

    “A doctor of osteopathic medicine, also known as a D.O., is a fully trained and licensed doctor. A doctor of osteopathic medicine graduates from a U.S. osteopathic medical school. A doctor of medicine, also known as an M.D., graduates from a traditional medical school.”

    “A major difference between D.O.s and M.D.s is that some doctors of osteopathic medicine use manual medicine as part of treatment. Manual medicine can include hands-on work on joints and tissues and massage.”

    “After medical school, both kinds of doctors must complete training as residents in the specialty they choose. They also must pass the same licensing exam before they can treat people and prescribe medicines.”

    Huh.  I think I prefer a real doctor, a MD.

  57. Lynn says:

    “SpaceX to FCC: We Can Supply a GPS Alternative Through Starlink”

        https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-to-fcc-we-can-supply-a-gps-alternative-through-starlink

    “The company tells the US regulator it’s already working on a Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) system for its cellular Starlink service.”

    Cool.  Backups are good.

  58. Lynn says:

    “The Pulse #134: Stack overflow is almost dead”

        https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/the-pulse-134

    “Four months ago, we asked Are LLMs making Stack Overflow irrelevant? Data at the time suggested that the answer is likely “yes:””

    June 2021: Stack Overflow sold for $1.8B to private equity investor, Prosus. In hindsight, the founders – Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky – sold with near-perfect timing, before terminal decline.”

    Unreal.

  59. lpdbw says:

    Huh.  I think I prefer a real doctor, a MD.

    There was a time I would have agreed with you, but I will argue both sides.

    Sometimes, a D.O. is just a guy who couldn’t make it into a “real” medical school.

    Other times, it is someone who is more open-minded about healing, and who will spend more effort looking for systemic issues instead of just pushing a pill or surgical procedure.

    I had a friend once who was a GI doc, and a D.O.  He was definitely focused on treating the patient, not treating the disease.

    Still woefully under the spell of big pharma, and as poorly educated as any other doc in the actual root causes of disease, but 10 times as interested in lifestyle fixes as the MDs.

    None of which really matters since Obamacare ruined the already broken healthcare industry.

  60. drwilliams says:

    I want to see Fauxhi in a witness box, on a water board, then a pine box if convicted.

    Weigh his crimes against humanity. The truth is more important than his rights, and there are millions on the other side of the scale.

  61. Lynn says:

    None of which really matters since Obamacare ruined the already broken healthcare industry.

    True dat.

    How do you know when a politician is lying ?  When their lips are moving.

  62. drwilliams says:

    “Huh.  I think I prefer a real doctor, a MD.”

    Mengele and Fauci were “real doctors”. Given the wokeness of the medical schools and race/sex/gender-based admissions, it is not a good time to be looking for a new doctor and have to settle for a recent grad.

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  63. nick flandrey says:

    I’ll be  seeing two of them tomorrow.  One is my GP for followup on all the testing I’ve had done this year, and one because I think I might have re-injured something he fixed in 2018.

    Full day tomorrow.

    n

  64. drwilliams says:

    “Sometimes, a D.O. is just a guy who couldn’t make it into a “real” medical school.”

    Sometimes, an MD or a dentist is just a guy that couldn’t make it into vet school. I know people that applied to all three and settled for second or third choice after they got rejected from vet school. Next time your dentist has his hand in your mouth consider that his preference may have been to have it up a cow’s backside.

  65. drwilliams says:

    One of the great frustrations I have when discussing politics with moderates is not that they disagree with me, nor even that they find Trump’s bull-in-a-china-shop style so off-putting that they reject his arguments out of hand; it’s that they are blind to how screwed we are unless radical changes are made very soon.

    The country now spends more on interest on the debt than it does on defense, and literally has to borrow from investors today in order to pay interest on debt sold in recent years. 

    Worse, we keep borrowing multiple trillions of dollars a year, ensuring that the debt/GDP ratio will worsen. It brings to mind the observation that one becomes bankrupt slowly, then all at once. You can stretch out the time it takes for collapse, but the collapse will come eventually.

    https://hotair.com/david-strom/2025/05/20/in-defense-of-thomas-massie-n3802959

    The latest research indicates that the men split into groups sometime after April 1848, with some parties surviving longer than others but all ultimately dying of starvation, scurvy, exposure, physical exhaustion and chronic illnesses, among other causes. Cut marks found on expedition members’ bones corroborates Inuit testimony that describes the men engaging in cannabalism. 

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-shipwrecks-from-john-franklins-doomed-arctic-expedition-were-exactly-where-the-inuit-said-they-would-be-180986627/

  66. Nick Flandrey says:

    Just got my vehicle registration receipt for official use… and it only had the Ranger.  I will have to go in person to clear up the mess and register the Expy.

    n

  67. Nick Flandrey says:

    Well, maybe not.   I just completed the online renewal, and it filled in the Expy details correctly this time.  I even printed a receipt page showing it was submitted. 

    Maybe you just can’t have two vehicles with the same plate PROCESSING at the same time… even though the system should let you.

    We’ll see if I get a completed transaction email in a day or two.  I have to the end of the month to renew.

    n

  68. drwilliams says:

    The Supreme Court restored Representative Laurel Libby’s voice in the Maine Statehouse on Tuesday, letting the Republican lawmaker avoid apologizing to a transgender athlete she attacked in a social media post.

    Without explanation, the high court granted Libby’s emergency appeal in an apparent 7-2 ruling. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

    Big whup. They should have ordered that Maine Democrats were barred from voting for a year as a penalty, or just forced them to get tasered every time they voted, simply to show them that there are consequences. 

    Getting told to stop it is not consequences.

    A good old-fashioned Roman decimation would be okay, too.

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  69. drwilliams says:

    I haven’t listened to the Hur interview of Biden. I’m simply not interested in the exoneration of Robert Hur, for the simple reason that he is guilty as hell.

    His recommendation against prosecuting FJB was small-time prosecutor think, not discharging his oath of office. Finding Biden guilty was not the only acceptable outcome of charging and trying him–showing that he was incompetent to hold the office, as a trial would have done–would have been preferable but the timeline to do so was impossible. 

    The best reason to charge him would have been that his actions were in fact criminal, numerous, and persistent over decades. The public deserved to have that information laid out alongside the fabricated evidence against Trump

    The secondary and entirely sufficient on it’s own reason was that some of those documents originated from Biden’s days in the Senate, when his only access would have been viewing them in a SCIF. The fact that he had them at all proved beyond question that the system used to protect those documents didn’t work, had been subverted, and raised real national security concerns about what else had been pilfered by politicians for vanity or personal gain.

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  70. Lynn says:

    Maybe you just can’t have two vehicles with the same plate PROCESSING at the same time… even though the system should let you.

    Wait, are you using the same license plates for both vehicles ?

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