Still cold, still damp. Low in the mid 30s, high in the mid 50sF if the weather liars are right. We’ll see. It was 39F when I went to bed, but still, so I thought about a tiny little fire… then opted for a warm bed.
I mostly did piddlefarting around stuff yesterday. I did epoxy the leak in the bathtub. I’m hoping this product and this application last a bit. The previous attempt was not successful due to expired product. Since the tub is scheduled for demo and replacement, stopgap measures were approved.
There was also some present wrapping for my sibling, who we’ll get together with later.
Some other small things got done too.
Today, youngest will get home from her friend’s lakehouse, host some other friends for a couple of hours, then she’ll get ready for a party tonight. Her first high school party. Oh my. That means one of us will have to be awake to get her afterwards. Probably me as I don’t drink alcohol… but I might have a tiny little fire.
The years pass and time flies. Don’t miss it. Stack the present so you can remember it later.
nick
Wednesday. New Year’s Eve morning. Sunny and blue skies. Cheerful. Hopefully propitious for the year to come.
Time to get up and break my fast. No slug-a-bed time today, as we are going to a matinée performance by Jazzrausch Big Band. I am a big fan of their recordings, but haven’t yet seen them live, so am excited about the tickets.
Have a beautiful day!
Second post. Hard to be beat Denis unless I get up really late at night. Which I will not do.
We will do nothing for New Years except go to bed. The artists that are going to perform on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve program are mostly hip-hop, rap, and other unintelligible droning noise. Lots of flash, auto-tune, dancing, and otherwise worthless performances. I sound like my aunt and uncle when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan.
Why 64 Bit Excel? Is there something that cannot be done in 32 Bit? I tried the 64 Bit version of Office. I saw no difference except that some of the plugins no longer worked. I abandoned 64 Bit and run 32 Bit office. Of course my needs pale in comparison to what you do. I do have (or did when I was working) have a fairly complex spreadsheet (to me) with multiple pages, references to hidden pages, table lookups, fancy formatting and some other somewhat useless items for bragging rights and 32 Bit worked fine.
Some of that 32 Bit stuff was because I needed to email spreadsheets preloaded with data that was unique to each user. I had to use ODBC and only the 32 Bit drivers would work with the application that was used to populate the spreadsheets. That was many orbital cycles ago so things have probably changed. I am so far behind in technology, and I don’t much care anymore.
New years eve.
Light rain here. For once I remembered to bring yard work project tools in.
Boxing day, sort of. Up early and dressed (sort of) so that I can catch the trash guy and gift him some $$ and a small bottle of scotch.
He’s been really good about waiting for me to drag the bin out late & such, even came back around the block once. Ordered me a new bin even though it’s technically on me to do so. Turns his truck around down the street so as to reduce grinding the dirt street to dust in front of my place.
Ravens are clumping ariund on the roof, hoping for leavings.
Yeah, I’m up. Back pain meds take 8 hrs to get thru my body, even if I am only taking half. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Coffee is brewing, wife is making scrambled eggs.
Sunny, blue sky, and temp in the mid 50sF.
Life is good.
n
Laughable Criticism of Nick Shirley
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2025/12/31/laughable-criticism-of-nick-shirley-n3810367
file it in the House:
Taxpayer Transparency Act
All disbursements by federal, state, and local government will be public records easily accessible on-line and showing the amount, recipient, and purpose. If the recipient is a business or other organization, the registration and licensing thereof will be clearly linked from the disbursement record and include owner names, physical addresses and taxpayer ID.
I call upon all citizens concerned about transparency in government: If you have sitelines from your property to an entity that receives significant disbursements from government at any level, put up a camera and start 24/7 recording.
The difference back then was that the fantastic four actually could play. Their time in Hamburg gave them time to get their act really together.
The rest is a question of taste. Old farts rarely like new music.
The Jazzrausch concert this afternoon was excellent, though unfortunately not at all their usual techno/jazz/trance music; they did a Count Basie and Frank Sinatra oldies repertoire, but they did it really well. Like the Beatles of yore, you can clearly see and hear when an ensemble has spent a few thousand hours playing together.
High time here for cocktails and nibbles…
I like a lot of fairly new music, but it isn’t top 40 or even top 100 pop.
One thing about youtube, it allows and facilitates access to millions of hours of music, much of it never heard on commercial radio or in any format in the US where music is dominated by a few large corps.
n
Radio in the ‘60’s. The same dozen or so songs repeated multiple times a day with only 13 minutes of actual music between the yapping of the DJ and the commercials. Especially annoying was the DJ talking over the beginning of the song. On Monday the song is a top hit, by Tuesday sliding down the charts, by Friday the song was never to be heard from again until the golden oldie stations arrived.
I just installed a 12 outlet 4′ power strip on the back of my desk. The computer is plugged into the UPS; the strip is plugged into the UPS. Everything else is plugged into the strip. I consumed all 12 outlets: hhhrrrmmmpppphhh. The laser is plugged into the wall as it draws too much power for the UPS. The mess behind the UPS is now cleaned up.
It really annoys me when the power bricks are attached to the plug. If the plug is horizonal, it will block another outlet on the strip. If the plug is vertical, it will block an outlet on the wall. Power converters should be on a short cord with a standard plug. I have a couple of short extensions that I have to use on a couple of outlets.
Getting the monitor arms clamped to the desk freed up a lot of space. That old switch box, from 1998, is now in the trash. Now I need to get under the desk and start strapping the cables, power and data, into the attachment points under the desk. That gets all the cables off the floor and mostly hidden. That will be a tedious process. I leave enough slack in the cable ties to get some of the cables back through.
Preach it!!!!
“Now I need to get under the desk and start strapping the cables, power and data, into the attachment points under the desk.”
Before entry:
Please post your start time, and repost when you are done, so we can infer your survival or demise as appropriate.
Re wall warts and power strips:
I’ve gotten several of these 1 foot power cord extenders for use with wall warts and power strips. This is a one-foot model https://www.cyberguys.com/products/computer-monitor-power-cable?_pos=9&_sid=720eabf15&_ss=r ; you can get up to a 24 foot version. They also have some sideways plugs on similar extension cords, which you can use where you need something close to the wall.
I’ve ordered many things from them before – in particular CAT5 cables, which they have at a very reasonable price with lots of lengths and colors, and are well-made. Good company; been around for 30 years.
Note that they are in holiday mode; shipments resume next week. Recommended company.
Why 64 Bit Excel? Is there something that cannot be done in 32 Bit? I tried the 64 Bit version of Office. I saw no difference except that some of the plugins no longer worked. I abandoned 64 Bit and run 32 Bit office. Of course my needs pale in comparison to what you do. I do have (or did when I was working) have a fairly complex spreadsheet (to me) with multiple pages, references to hidden pages, table lookups, fancy formatting and some other somewhat useless items for bragging rights and 32 Bit worked fine.
Some of that 32 Bit stuff was because I needed to email spreadsheets preloaded with data that was unique to each user. I had to use ODBC and only the 32 Bit drivers would work with the application that was used to populate the spreadsheets. That was many orbital cycles ago so things have probably changed. I am so far behind in technology, and I don’t much care anymore.
The latest version of MS Office is 64 bit only. Several of my customers have moved on to it already.
I go where the customers go.
My Nanobeams have been not exactly synced for a few months. A head high elm thicket blocking the signal will do that.
The EDC machine is hardwired. Gets 320 down from the Starlink last I looked. 20, 25 up. I think that’s all Starlink can do.
House is fed via Nanobeams. Been getting 80 to 150 down and 15 to 25 up the past few months. Faster than the wISP folks.
Everything is GB speed. I even bought cat 8 wires. To make it all the best I know how.
The elm brush is suddenly leafless. I suddenly noticed a “reconnect” button in the Nanobeam web interface. So I clicked the button.
Huh. After a moment, much quicker than a reboot, House is getting 280 down. Like it did before the elm brush grew.
So. A long ramble to say “click the reconnect button Nick”.
As a side note, the constellation for both radios is flipping from a steady 8×8 to 16×16.. Need to clear the views and burn some brush.
Over The Hedge: It’s raining lead
https://www.gocomics.com/overthehedge/2025/12/31
No joke, those fools in the inner city of Houston will be shooting their guns in the air tonight.
For @SteveF and others here:
(link)
I’ll leave it to others to comment on this…
…and related to the above:
Another awkward-but-true thing is we all love the smell of our own farts. Back in 2014, Science Alert explained: “As humans, we’re more likely to prefer something that’s familiar to us – whether it’s a song, an old blanket, or a smell – than something that isn’t.
Other fascinating information about flatulence in the article here: (link), including “However, the smell of our oh-so-familiar farts can tell us a lot about our digestive systems.”
And, there’s advice on how different foods produce different odors.
(…he says, nothing that reading the above article resulted in letting loose a few good ones…)
Yes. Might wear some glasses or goggles for protection from the random shi(r)t falling into your eyes.
Yeah. Go pee. Get a fresh beer. And get under the desk.
Ain’t no big deal. As long as you have a chair to help you get off of the floor. ←– I hate this part of aging.
That must be Office 365 as I just downloaded Office 2024. Yes, less than legal copy using some scripts to activate the product and some registry mods to stop the licensing check. It was an experiment to see if it worked with Parallels on the Mac. It did. I have since removed Office from Parallels by restoring a backup of the virtual drive.
I have legal copies of Office 2021 on the Mac and my desktop. Both 32 bit.
I have done the process a couple of times before. It takes me about an hour laying on my back.
Those will not work as the female end is for a connection into a power socket and cannot accept a 3 prong plug. The ones I use are like 6” extension cords. I was able to rearrange the sequence of plugs so there was no interference between the power bricks that are also the plug.
Those network cables on that site do not have boots over the plugs. That is a no-go for my needs.
Wrong link. Try this one: https://www.cyberguys.com/products/flat-plug-extension-cord-18in?_pos=1&_sid=107d27735&_ss=r
And I thought they had network cables with rubber boots – seem to recall ordering those in years past. But couldn’t find them on the site today.
I have legal copies of Office 2021 on the Mac and my desktop. Both 32 bit.
Office 2016 to Office 20?? deliverables on Windows are both 32 bit and 64 bit. The installer has a nuance that most people miss on which version to install, the default is 64 bit. Most people do not notice.
I have Office 2016 on my office PC. I did not notice that I had the 64 bit version for a long time since my Excel Results Transfer tool works with both 32 bit and 64 bit without comment or need to know. But, several users embed my calculation engine in their Excel. You cannot cross the bitness when embedding software in Excel, they both must be 32 bit or 64 bit.
In the olden days, we would thunk* from 16 bit to 32 bit and back. Those days are long gone thank goodness.
* Thunking is a term that dates back to the dark ages of computing. Microsoft likes to think that they created the terminology and functionality but, thunking dates back to the PDP, Prime, and many other mini computers that made that horrible practice a part of their lives.
Muy stinko.
I’d add ‘water’ to the list – since it is needed to cool off all of that heat generated by the computers.
Nope. Yes, water is desirable for cooling of computer data centers. But it is not required as air cooling works just fine. However, air cooling takes up more space and space is often at a premium for data centers.
Even mixing MSVCRT run time libraries with the same release number and architecture target is iffy.
“Sure makes you think, doesn’t it?”
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2025/12/sure-makes-you-think-doesnt-it.html
“On June 14, 2025, Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in their home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.” Hortman was the only Democrat to vote against free healthcare for illegal Somalis in Minnesota just four days earlier.
“That’s one so-called “conspiracy theory” that immediately sounds suspiciously as if it might contain more truth than falsehood. Were the Hortmanns murdered to send a message to their fellow politicians in Minnesota that disloyalty to the “machine”, the “system”, call it what you will, would be mercilessly avenged?”
Yup, political assassination. Happens in third world countries every day. Just another sign that the USA is becoming a third world country.
I’m not a fan of Ethernet cables with the boots. Shrouds.
Yeah, I get it, you can snake a cable through the rat nest of wires and then pull it out without breaking off the locking tab. How often do you do that? For real Ever think of wrapping the end of the wire with electric tape before pulling?
Generally once you plug a wire in, it’s in. Most of the time. The boots make moving wires from port to port a real pain in the ass. Because I can’t press the locking tab.
Grump grump, get offa my lawn.
Sigh. I am so tired of Fortran Fanboiz. They are hobbyists who do not live with the harsh realities of programming software for distribution to paying customers. Yet they scream and flail about of things that they do not understand in the slightest. This my reply to a post in comp.lang.c++ usenet group.
Whoa, a Fortran fanboi in the C++ group.
My calculation engine is 800,000 lines of F77 code and 50,000 lines of C++ code. My goals are to get to a uniform software language and 64 bit. I have converted about 100,000 lines of F77 code to C++ so far using a highly customized version of F2C. I have been working on this software since 1975 so I know a little about it.
BTW, moving F77 code to F90 and above is non trivial. Especially Fortran code that started with Fortran II compilers around 1964 or so. Especially Fortran code that uses many Fortran extensions and dynamic memory allocation since 1978.
BTW2, my Windows user interface is 600,000 lines of C++ code. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, it was a 16 bit mixture of C and Smalltalk. My staff and I converted it to 32 bit C++ in 2001 – 2003. My customers loved the new speed and the size of the flowsheets that they could work with.
Wednesday night. New Year’s Eve. Late. About to have a wee snooze before getting up again for the pips of midnight, bubbly and fireworks.
Taking advantage of the timezones to wish you all a good start to a healthy, happy, peaceful and prosperous year in 2026.
I’m going to go do stuff. Boil some eggs. I think I have company coming to visit today. Not sure at all. So a few deviled eggs and some olives for snacks are my plan for “quick snacks”.
Sheesh. 28f this morning. 70f now at 3:30pm. Beautiful, clear skies with a wisp of cirrus clouds. Outstanding for this time of year.
Happy New Year. 🙂
POWER SQUID!!!
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-2-Pack-Outlet-Splitter/dp/B01K3ADZ76/ref=sr_1_3?tag=ttgnet-20
We are all going to die!
‘Super’ virus spreading uncontrollably… as New York sees most flu cases ever and experts warn ‘we don’t know when it will stop’
It’s not a virus. It’s a SUPER virus from Planet Krypton! Bust out the masks, boys and girls, line up for a mechano-gene-splicing clot shot. Maintain 8′ separation (’cause that’s better than 6′). If you can’t do that, just kill yourself. It’s never going to stop. We’ll have flu season until all birds are dead.
Happy New Year!
US military conducts strikes on THREE more narco-terror boats in waters off South America
Maduro won’t have much of a military left after we kill all males of service age.
Former TSA Agent Exposes Somali Fraud in Real Time at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport
https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2025/12/31/former-tsa-agent-exposes-somali-fraud-in-real-time-at-minneapolis-st-paul-airport-n2197640
Those funds could have no legitimate source.
Sounds like the fix was in.
New sheriff in town, and it’s past time for the fix to be out.
“Somali Daycare Manager Claims Burglars Broke Into Facility, Stole All “Important Documents” – Including Child Enrollment Info – Blames Nick Shirley (VIDEO)”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/12/somali-daycare-manager-claims-burglar-broke-facility-stole/
You know, this might work on Tampon Tim, but a normal person instantly knows that this is a fake.
[Read this in the voice of Zuul from Ghostbusters]
“There is no Covid. There is only FLU.”
Legrand Wiremold Series 2000 is hard-wired. One example.
20GB606TRUSB 6′ Plugmold® Multioutlet System with USB
UPC Number 786776182552
https://www.legrand.us/wire-and-cable-management/raceway-and-cord-covers/plugmold-systems/20gb606trusb-6-plugmold-multioutlet-system-with-usb/p/bk20gb606trusb
These come in many different functional variations of length and outlet spacing. This example is the minimum outlet spacing of 6″ in the maximum length of 6′.
Price is about 10x a 12-outlet plug-in strip from Harbor Freight or similar.
Ray mentioned cable ties. They have their place, but I prefer short velcro straps.
If I am organized I use wire marking tape:
https://www.amazon.com/3M-ScotchCode-Marker-Dispenser-STD-C/dp/B00OI73DBO?tag=ttgnet-20
https://www.amazon.com/3M-ScotchCode-Pre-Printed-Wire-Marker/dp/B001AO36GA?tag=ttgnet-20
Color can be useful in designating all the cable for a particular computer, and color is easier to select when my old eyes are trying to pick out details under a desk.
Run a strip of color tape on the back and tag the computer ports with the matching cable number and it’s a lot easier to move a system and get it back up in a new location.
Making sliders tonight.
Happy New Year.
“You know, this might work on Tampon Tim, but a normal person instantly knows that this is a fake.”
Like a grease fire in a failing restaurant.
The cable ties are run through fasteners that accommodate the ties and the fasteners are fastened to the desk. It keeps the cables organized and close to the desk.
My power strip is from Home Depot, 4’ long with 12 outlets. A good fit under the desk. I don’t need USB. My cost was $25.00 and free shipping.
RIP.
https://obits.goldsteinsfuneral.com/stewart-cheifet
Happy New Year to all friends and correspondents. May 2026 be better and more prosperous for us all!
Eldest has delivered youngest to her party. That means I have about 3 hours to kill…
Every year we don’t have someone walk mortar rounds thru Times Square is a good year, and I really can’t relax until we get through that milestone. Yeah, I’m weird like that.
So I think I’ll have a tiny little fire to take my mind off the wait, and do some reading.
n
I have retrieved D2, and all the pack is back together.
Some drivers out making poor choices. Some bad lane changes and speeding. Hard to say if it was more than a normal weekend at 1am, since I’m not usually out driving around then.
Surprising number of semi-pro fireworks still exploding at 1am… Especially considering that they are illegal within city limits.
Temp dropped to 45F and it’s still damp. My MrHeater wasn’t keeping up and I was glad when the call came for pickup.
Time to call it a night.
n
Hmm
Explosion rips through bar at Swiss ski resort killing several people and injuring others as they celebrated the New Year
Several people have been killed and others injured after an explosion at a luxury ski resort in Switzerland
n