So cold again, and hopefully clear, and maybe not warming up later. Yesterday stayed within about 4 degrees F all day. And the wind was biting. So it would be nice to be wrong and get some warming later today.
I spent the morning napping after getting the kid to her thing.Spent the afternoon picking up, hitting one Goodwill (for a giant leather jacket and a pair of pants. Jacket was $10 and is a couple of square yards of beautiful soft leather for me to use elsewhere.) Went by my secondary and dropped something off, and then got home to be ready to retrieve kid from her school thing.
Well that happened 2 hours later than she thought it would so I was basically piddling around waiting for a call. Then dinner and some me time (with a couple of hours of looking at auction listings.)
Not a waste of a day, but not super productive either. Today is going to have to pick up some of yesterday’s slack. I feel bad for today…
nick
stack!
Sunday. Early and quiet. Good morning!
The quiet before the storm, probably. W1’s mother and godmother have announced a visit towards the end of the month. Or is it an intervention? Sounds ominous.
Today’s project will be getting the guest bedroom straightened out. It is not often required for guests’ use, so it tends to be used as informal storage space instead. That has to be undone today.
As a side dish of additional joy, the flush of the guest bedroom toilet is not shutting off correctly. It will be due to limescale, as we have very hard water here. I will have to dismantle the mechanism from the hole in the wall.
If a soak in acidulated water and a scrubbing don’t fix them, I’ll be off to the plumbing supply house tomorrow for replacement innards. I suppose not having them in stock already is a pepper fail.
Never a dull moment.
Don’t feel bad. Every day you can see the grass from the green side is a good day. You’ll be looking at it from the brown side for long enough.
W1 is still in the land of Nod. Perhaps I will sneak out and get some fresh croissants. Can’t hurt to start a day of work with a little surprise treat.
Treat yourselves to something too!
30 F and very clear here in the formerly unpopulated side of Fort Bend County. I forgot to set my alarm so I will be very late to church. Probably after communion.
The Oxymoron of Dual Citizenship
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/columns/the-oxymoron-of-dual-citizenship/
Based on another 5-4 SCOTUS decision that found something in the USC that isn’t there.
It is not unreasonable and is in fact vital that people wishing to become U.S. citizens renounce previous ties in return for doing so.
It is also reasonable that children of mixed citizenship marriages be required to make a choice when reaching the age of majority.
A provision in the law permitting exceptions on a very limited basis would also be acceptable.
Why Mars is Actively Manufacturing Poison
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/why-mars-is-actively-manufacturing-poison
Poor title, badly written.
Only useful in yielding the link to the WUSL article
The Electrifying Science Behind Martian Dust
https://eeps.wustl.edu/news/electrifying-science-behind-martian-dust
which provides a clear explanation of what they found.
Bad explanations of chemistry are just that, and serve no real purpose. The layman reading the first article comes away with the idea that something on Mars is creating isotopes, rather than partitioning them through electrochemical processes.
The Geico Gecko empire continues to expand in Texas.
https://www.nfm.com/austin-store.html?intcmp=store_austin&intpl=footer
Archaeologists Have Discovered an Ancient “Factory” That Could “Reshape What We Thought We Knew” About Roman Britain
https://thedebrief.org/archaeologists-have-discovered-an-ancient-factory-that-could-reshape-what-we-thought-we-knew-about-roman-britain/
A “factory”–more acurately a quarry–to make whetstones.
Octavius needed to keep his gladius sharp.
The find strongly hints at a lot more to come.
If you don’t do anything else, open the link and scroll down to the photo on the riverbank showing reject whetstones clearly visible in the mud. Passed by for centuries until someone finally wondered “What be this?”
If 250 whetstones were previously known in Britain, can they be shown to have come from this new site?
42F and sunny. Clear sky, not much breeze.
Woke naturally at 830 and fell back to sleep naturally too. Woke again at 1030.
Coffee is brewed. I’m debating what to have for breakfast. Leaning toward bacon and a waffle.
Dog smells like sunshine and outdoors.
W is still at the BOL, D1 spent the night at her friend’s house, and D2 was up late gaming or chatting with her friend so she’s asleep. It’s just me and the dog atm…
n
The roman era discovery is interesting. The 1000 year gap in use of that part of the river is even weirder, unless the flow or channel changed dramatically. Maybe the romans did the equivalent of ‘overgrazing’ the area and everyone just left.
————
Time for more coffee and something sweet.
n
The roman era discovery is interesting. The 1000 year gap in use of that part of the river is even weirder, unless the flow or channel changed dramatically. Maybe the romans did the equivalent of ‘overgrazing’ the area and everyone just left.
The Vikings started invading England and Normandy around AD 1,000 or so. Really messed things up and caused the Dark Ages to extend and get deeper.
Ole Snake Head rises:
Election guru predicts shocking midterms ‘wipeout’ as all eyes turn to the Senate
When HASN’T Carville predicted a GOP wipeout? Remember, he predicted The Kamel would have a landslide.
Redumblicans are known to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. They’ve earned the “dumb” in Redumblicans. The GOP is fractured and politicians vote to stay in office not for what is good for the country.
A Redumblican “win” in the midterms could mean a Dumbocrat minority for a decade.
Up at sux am for grocery shopping, then a haircut, then a quick pass through Lowes for a couple of items.
Home now, groceries unloaded and put away … thinking about a nap.
Naps always feel better than sleeping at night.
n
Wokeness Has Brought Britain’s Second City Bankruptcy and Crime
https://hotair.com/headlines/2026/01/18/wokeness-has-brought-britains-second-city-bankruptcy-and-crime-n3810958
” under the terms of the Equality Act 2010, equal-pay claims can succeed if a court determines that two entirely different jobs in the same company or public body are of the “same value.”
Trivially easy to take care of. The city council simply declares that when two jobs are found “same value” the two groups are considered interchangeable according to the staffing needs of the city, and will be scheduled as such after each group undergoes an 8-week program of cross-training.
An eight week program of cross training seems excessive. A week, maybe two if allowing for lunch and break time.
It’s just all janitor work, right? The gals work inside and the guys are out in the weather.
8-weeks should be just about right. Particularly if the training is scheduled for July-August and December-January
Most of the girls won’t last beyond a week. If they quit, the boys getting cross-trained will have inside track on the jobs in a climate-controlled fresh air environment–same value work, of course.
Makes you wonder what “same value” is for “pinhead magistrates” and “court bailiffs”
Watch: Things Getting Wild in MN As Anti-ICE Crew Harasses Regular People, Concerning City Email Revealed
https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2026/01/17/watch-things-getting-out-of-control-in-mn-as-anti-ice-crew-harasses-regular-people-n2198256
Hope it ruined your day, soy-boy.
Notice the disparity? 5 suspicious white guys vs. “a couple dozen” protestors is 1-to-5.
As noted previously, the professional “anti-ICE” protestors–normally the Prius and Subaru crowd–seem to be showing up to block streets with 2-ton SUV’s. One report last week showed a guy in a white SUV that was stopped and advised to rent something smaller to drive in the future.
Now they’re closing hotels in downtown Minneapolis. 100 rooms, average $150 a night, combined tax rates 20% (all estimated) is a tax loss of $3000 per day.
Staff of 20 at $20 an hour is $3200 in lost wages per day plus more taxes lost. Or are they paying their employees? Hotels are notorious for hiring illegals as cleaning staff, so it’s hard to gin up much sympathy for corporations losing money.
Reports of lots of small businesses closing because employees and customers do not feel safe.
Judging from the ease of finding illegals illegally working, it seems like it’s time to do a few of those employee “down to the paint” audits.
Is this a data point, or just wishful thinking?
I save my aluminum cans separately from other recycling, because they have monetary value. Just not enough to justify me driving them to the recycling plant for pay.
Every so often, I put out a couple of bags of cans by the street on Sunday. Monday is trash day.
For months, the cans would disappear, harvested by the “pickers” who also take scrap metal and items of potential value set out. It was a symbiotic relationship; I didn’t have to pay for removal, the trash company didn’t have to take the stuff, and the harvesters got a tiny bit of income for their work. Wins all around. FWIW, the few times I’ve actually seen the pickers, they seem Hispanic.
I set out 2 tall kitchen bags of aluminum cans 3 weeks ago. They didn’t get picked up on Sunday, so I took them back in the house. I tried again the next week; same. I put them out today. If they don’t get picked up, I’ll leave them with the weekly recycling of steel cans, glass bottles, and amazon boxes. Yes, I’m aware it all ends up in the landfill anyway.
Is this a sign that the pickers were illegals, and they’ve been deported or scared into hiding? They’re Hispanics here legally but afraid of ICE anyway, because of the media/Democrat fear campaign? People are well enough off they don’t need to do the picking anymore?
Frankly, I think all of those options are positive. I like the first one best.
The can miners here are hispanic or black. I have seen a husband/wife team. And then there is one of my favorite scrappers, Mike the Scavenger on youtube. He mostly works north of me, judging by the homes and the dumpster companies.
There’s ok money in scrap, especially non-ferrous. Yesterday I almost picked up a transmission that was sitting out near my secondary, but I was wearing good pants. If I’d been in work clothes, I’d have grabbed it myself. Last one I picked up paid about $50 iirc. The yard I use is only a little out of my way.
On our street, a neighbor that is moving out left some scrap metal on the curb and it was there for at least two days. That is unusual but not unprecedented. I’ve put appliances out and had them disappear in less than an hour.
I’ll keep an eye open now to see how much scrap I see sitting out. It should be almost none…
n
Nice shopping run this morning.
Two nice 10-inch skillets at a thrift. One is a clean non-stick All-Clad with a nearly pristine surface. The other is a pristine Hexclad with a lid that will also fit the All-Clad.
Went to the grocery and found some closeouts. Buck fitty for a pound of corned beef hash. Chubbs. One for breakfasts, a some for the freezer. Bunch of canned goods marked down to a buck, including some decent organic chili that goes for $4.50 a can. Nice quick lunch when it turns cold. Something extra-satisfying about eating well and cheap.
We had the sliding patio doors replaced several years ago. Missy was maybe six months old and Penny was yet to be born. Yikes. Maybe fifteen years ago. Time flies.
Anyway. One door replaced. One door turned into a window. Double pane low-e glass and yada yada. I bought a few pieces of the house’s siding and under the now window it looks like the house was built this way. The seams are staggered. The patio door and window are trimmed inside like a door.
He does great trim work. Ok, hey Ronnie, come tell me what to buy and I’ll pre-paint the wood and give you a grand cash to install the trim around the windows inside of the house. “I’ll call you back when I finish this project.”
My plan was to get the windows trimmed and then buy the fancy accordion blinds that can raise up or lower from the top. Double hung windows, right? Pricey blinds at Lowes. Pushing $150 per window. Ten years ago. Times nine.
Time for Plan B.
I’ve bought some decent to me curtains and curtain rods from Big River. About $550 worth. I’m sure there is better, but hey.
The original windows had no wood trim..…..just wall texture. I’m going to buy some caulk that matches the windows. Off white / ivory / beige. Almost the exact color of Leviton switch plates. I’ll caulk the gaps between window and wall. A decorative thing, the windows are very much sealed to the walls. Hopefully I can buy the caulk in squeeze tubes, like toothpaste, because I suck with a caulk gun….. it’s nothing nothing nothing and then a huge porno film blast. Add on a gallon of wall paint to touch up the edges and paint over the spackle filling in the holes from long gone mini blinds and curtain rods.
Window sills are a piece of trim wood. Mill work? Like quarter round. I can handle installing a few window sills. No need of any skill with a miter box.
Plans, I have a few.
@paul, I’m glad I wasn’t drinking when I read the line about the caulk gun…
Sounds like you have a project to fill the time for a while.
n
Sunday bedtime. I should rest my eyes soon. I have an opthalmology appointment tomorrow. Nothing serious, mostly because I need a prescription for some new distance-vision spectacles.
Guest bedroom tidy-up continues. I found two network switches and a half-dozen NiB Microsoft wired mouses (meeses, mice?), plus a load of cables; mostly ethernet, video and USB. Pleased about the mice, as MS doesn’t sell those anymore.
I also found two fruitcakes. Looking forward to teatimes!
Paul’s caulk gun description is priceless!
Goodnight, all.
Huh, I’m not the only one who likes fruitcake. I won’t seek it out, but I like eating it if it ends up on my plate.
———
Whew, I think I could give Ray a run for his money today. Don’t know what I ate, but it doesn’t want to pass un-noticed…
n
I like fruitcake. Never have understood the hate.
“caulk guns”
Look for the type that is “drip-free”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LYKSGL1?tag=ttgnet-20
Senator Ted Cruz: “There is a very real possibility, that in the next six months the regimes in Iran, in Venezuela, and Cuba will all fall” (VIDEO)
– cuban cigars in US stores again…
n
re: fruitcake
The good news: I know someone who makes it every year from a recipe that’s been in use in her family for over 70 years. She sells it, and will mail it. I can even testify that it’s very good.
The bad news: The recipe was developed by my ex Mother-in-law just after WWII, and it’s my ex who currently makes and sells it. Don’t expect me to send any business her way. It’s pretty pricy anyway. A 3 pound loaf-pan cake is $35.
The ok news: MIL gave the recipe to the newspaper, and it’s available on the internet. It makes 18 pounds at a time… She made it semi-commercially all those years, and knew people wouldn’t go to the trouble.
I’ll admit to a little chuckle when I drove past ex’s house a few years back, and there was a giant “FRUITCAKE” sign in front. Truth in labeling.
“ sometimes I can just look at a color and know that I’m in the hands of an excellent engineer”
Adam Savage talks about his Knew Concepts Titanium Birdcage Fret Saw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9LNlsE38fY
““I drank filtered swamp water””
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/lifestraw-escape-water-purifier-review/
“I Drank Filtered Swamp Water to See If the LifeStraw Escape Water Purifier Works”
“The LifeStraw Escape gives you that option. Reminiscent of a sidelines water cooler, this high-capacity water filter virtually eliminates bacteria and viruses — the cause of the boil-water orders that often accompany disasters. And it neutralizes many contaminants, like pesticides and benzene, that get into water supplies during floods and wildfires. It does not require electrical power or plumbing: You just fill it from any available water source and pump it by hand.”
$330 at Big River.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJZYLV8R?tag=ttgnet-20
Now the Lifestraw Escape is sold out. Looks like lots of people buying one and throwing it in the garage.
Well, the aluminum cans are gone. Picked up after dark.
GF’s theory is they’re doing it in the dark to avoid ICE. She says that like it’s a bad thing.
Women. Go figure.
We had some discussion of “terrorism” a few days back. How about Don Lemon?
Don Lemon is explicitly stating that his intent in storming this church during Sunday services was to traumatize the participants.
He’s just confessed to terrorism.
Who is Don Lemon? His name came up two times for me today.
n
The Nobel committee makes a fool of itself
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/the_nobel_committee_makes_a_fool_of_itself.html
Don’t bar any of the committee from the U.S., but flag them for body cavity search.
We’re not looking for drugs, just confirming what we suspect about their brains…
Fruitcakes – My mother used to make fruitcakes in, I believe, August. I “was allowed to” help her cut up all the candied fruit that she used. It was outstanding fruitcake, and I wasn’t allowed to eat much of it. Once baked, she would soak cheesecloth in brandy until saturated, then wrap each fruitcake in the brandy-soaked cheesecake, and then wrap them in aluminum foil – and re-soak them every few weeks until November. Then she’d give them out to friends. That was 50 years ago.
Modern commercial fruitcakes are vague imitations of hers.
Don Lemon is a homosexual sexual predator and famous communist agitator. I believe he masquerades as a journalist and political commentator.
He pulled a stunt where a group of anti-ICE commies shut down a church service in Minnesota yesterday, and has since learned he violated federal criminal and civil law in the process.
He is quoted as saying his goal was to traumatize the worshipers, including children.
Ah, I thought he was some CNN commie sympathizer. Had some vague thought about it. Didn’t want to interrupt what I was doing to find out.
I’m calling it for the day. Gotta fast before my glucose test tomorrow and the kids don’t have school so I can sleep in a bit, but not too much. That should help with being hungry. I wonder if 75g of glucose will help with the hunger, or make it worse?
n
The First Amendment includes “the right of the people peaceably to assemble”, but Lemon and his mob were NOT peaceful. He, and they, WERE “prohibiting the free exercise” of their religion, so he’s wrong TWICE.