Sat. Feb. 21, 2026 – At the BOL, supposed to be working

By on February 21st, 2026 in culture, decline and fall, lakehouse, linux

It is supposed to be clear today. It was hazy and 60F when I got here last night. No idea what the temp should be like but I’m hoping for “not too hot” as most of what I’d like to get done is in the attic. It was a warm and moist day in Houston yesterday. It’ll probably be warm and moist here.

Did my auction pickups yesterday, then loaded my truck. Hit the Lowe’s for some supplies, and eventually got on the road. Lotsa cops on the road last night.

Today I’ll like to get started pulling in the electrical for a couple of bath fans, a reading light over the toilet, a towel warmer, a space heater for the hall bath, and power to my ‘server closet.’ If I can get all that in, and my buddy can be my safety officer while I do the connections, then I can maybe start on networking and cams. That is the overall goal for this weekend and maybe Monday. There is plenty to do besides that, if I need more or different work.

There is always more.

But I’m improving my situation and that’s a good thing.

If you can’t work, stack.

nick

38 Comments and discussion on "Sat. Feb. 21, 2026 – At the BOL, supposed to be working"

  1. Ray Thompson says:

    First post. I beat Denis, SteveF, and whomever else.

    This crud I have is just nasty. I napped four hours yesterday and still slept all night. I will probably nap again today as this crud has really slammed my energy. I hope it is over in a couple of days. The coughing is really wearing me out.

  2. dkreck says:

    Good Morning y’all. Slept in ‘til 6. 33F this morning according to the WU nearby station – chilly but avoiding the frost. I’ve had a cold all week but Ray sounds much worse off. Cold relief products really help keep the head clear of snot and reduce the cough and they help for sleep. Makes ya kinda dopey (so what’s new).

    Bright clear and cool today.

    Coffee is ready.

  3. MrAtoz says:

    I pulled a muscle in my back on Thursday. Tylenol helps, but I put my garage door insulation project on hold. And I just got all the material delivered.

    I blame bad karma from Mr. Ray. LOL

  4. Nick Flandrey says:

    65F and clear, sunny too.   Nice.   

    Slept in later than I wanted to, but without the rented heavy equipment burning hours, it’s hard to overcome the inertia of sleep to face crawling around in an attic.

    Breakfast first, then work.   And the coffee is brewing.

    I’m taking extra D3 to avoid getting sick.   It’s worked so far.

    The back pain though, I know that tune.

    n

  5. MrAtoz says:

    Movie reviews:

    Greenland and Greenland 2 – meh and meh2. I think Butler and Baccarin phoned in their performances for G2. Pretty bad.

    Sisu and Sisu 2 – both brilliant, gory, and over the top.

    Manhunter and Red Dragon – Manhunter (1986) easily is better with Tom Noonan as the killer. Norton in RD sucks. The producers just wanted to capitalize on Hopkins as Hannibal before he aged out. Even the visuals are better in Manhunter. Peterson is best known for CSI. 

    Today I’m watching Hannibal Rising. How the cannibalism came into being. I’ve read some reviews that Manhunter and HR are all you need in the Hannibal-Verse. I’m also going to rewatch Hannibal just for Ray Liotta’s demise.

    I binged S03 of The Night Agent. S03 is a little too contrived, but I still liked it. I hope for a S04.

    The Mrs and I finished Tulsa King. We both loved it. And Landman. I got her hooked on The Lincoln Lawyer, so we are watching from the beginning.

  6. Nick Flandrey says:

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15578237/Boston-train-push-nurse-reddit-race-police.html

    Good Samaritan nurse bullied by Boston woke mob for sharing race of 10 teens who nearly killed commuter by shoving him into moving train

    By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

    Published: 13:53 EST, 20 February 2026 | Updated: 03:10 EST, 21 February 2026 

    A Good Samaritan nurse faced a barrage of online abuse from a woke mob for describing a gang of teens who shoved a commuter into a moving train as black. 

    ‘At one point the victim was kicked, the force of the kick propelled the victim backwards as an MBTA train was departing.

    So they guy was assaulted by a mob, pushed, kicked, contacted a moving train, and was transported to a hospital.    Could have been pushed onto the tracks in front of a moving train.    But describing the mob accurately is the real crime…

    And even the DM participates in the spin, calling a mob assault “the push”.

    The day after the incident, Boston Transit Police announced they had arrested a 14-year-old who allegedly took part in the push. 

    Take ol’ Remus’ and Scott Adams’ advice.

    n

  7. Greg Norton says:

    Sisu and Sisu 2 – both brilliant, gory, and over the top.

    If you sailed the high seas for “Sisu 2”, settle kharma by purchasing a DVD next month.

    The film will ultimately make money, but very few people saw the theatrical release.

    The total cost of “Sisu 2” is still a rounding error on a Disney Marvel flick.

    The creative team has the “Rambo” prequel.

  8. Greg Norton says:

    Sisu and Sisu 2 – both brilliant, gory, and over the top.

    See “Frankenstein” if you haven’t already.

    The rumor is that Elordi was offered Bond this week.

    28 years old.

    Unfortunately, the Academy seems determined to reward “One Battle After Another” so I think the fix is in for Best Picture absent someone’s social media posts spoiling the plan like with “Emilia Perez” last year.

  9. Greg Norton says:

    Unfortunately, the Academy seems determined to reward “One Battle After Another” so I think the fix is in for Best Picture absent someone’s social media posts spoiling the plan like with “Emilia Perez” last year.

    Fortunately, “Anora” was a good film and the Academy owed Sean Baker.

    And the Best Actress was actually female by birth. Imagine.

  10. Denis says:

    Glad to let you have first post, Mr Ray. I hope you will be better from the crud soon.

    W1’s guests have left us. We had a jolly time, but it was hard to juggle being a host with the current professional workload. I think the guests didn’t see a whole lot of me other than at mealtimes, but that’s OK, as they were really W1’s guests, not mine.

    I am having a wee lie down. I had really intended to have a snooze, but the YouChoob Al Gore rhythm proposed me an interview with Dan Gelbart, genius, on the “632nm” channel. Prof Gelbart is his usual fascinating self, but the two young  dudes “interviewing” him need to quiet down and just let him talk. I could listen to him all day.

  11. SteveF says:

    > Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, PolPot …

    You forgot Eva Perón.

    There’s a reason I call her Tidepod Evita.

  12. Nick Flandrey says:

    Well, I’m nothing if not flexible. 

    Turns out I don’t have two bathroom fans waiting for me here, or at least I can’t find them.   I will do other things.

    n

  13. drwilliams says:

    ‘Out of Nowhere’ Canadians Are Now Poorer Than Alabamians. The Reactions Have Been Pretty Funny

    it was a shock when Canadian economist Trevor Tombe and the International Monetary Fund ran the numbers in 2023 and 2024 and concluded that Canada had, in fact, become poorer than Alabama. 

    “We imported millions of people from third world shitholes and now our country is turning into a giant third world shithole. How is that possible?”

    https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/02/21/out-of-nowhere-canadians-are-now-poorer-than-alabamians-n2671681

    “Elections have consequences.”–Barack “Soweto Barry” Hussein Obama

    “My job is done”–Justin “Wee” Pierre Trudeau

    “Wait! Whut!? Hold my LaBatt’s!”–Mark Carney

  14. drwilliams says:

    “I am having a wee lie down.”

    I tried yesterday. Set the alarm for 40 minutes. Cat thought it was a great idea, laid down next to my feet.

    Four freaking interruptions. Must have screwed with my internal clock, as I didn’t get to bed until after midnight, set no alarm, fed the cat at 6, went back to sleep, and woke up at 9.

    I hate burning daylight in winter and spring.

  15. drwilliams says:

    New Smart Underwear Unlocks the Serious Science of Human Flatulence

    It turns out the scientific knowledge of human flatulence is almost as nebulous as the gas itself. To quote the “King of Farts,” gastroenterologist Michael Leavitt, “It is virtually impossible for the physician to objectively document the existence of excessive gas using currently available tests.” We have established baselines for normal blood glucose, normal cholesterol levels, normal hormone levels, but no such baseline exists for flatulence. 

    “We don’t actually know what normal flatus production looks like,” Hall explained in a statement. “Without that baseline, it’s hard to know when someone’s gas production is truly excessive.”

    https://nautil.us/new-smart-underwear-unlocks-the-serious-science-of-human-flatulence-1267183/?ref=thefuturist

    There may be consulting gold in this research.

  16. Ray Thompson says:

    There may be consulting gold in this research.

    This has my name written all over it. Sign me up.

    They don’t call me Captain Gasser for nothing.

  17. EdH says:

    “We don’t actually know what normal flatus production looks like,” Hall explained in a statement. “Without that baseline, it’s hard to know when someone’s gas production is truly excessive.”

    In early NASA spacecraft cabin design in the 1960s this came up, basically when measured it wasn’t too much of an issue because you had to get rid of air with too much CO in it already.

    I’d be surprised if the shuttle and station design teams did not account for it.

  18. paul says:

    I found a setting to enable the Permissions tab when you right-click to Properties on a file.

    The Text ruler file I “fixed” by copying the contents to a new text file does not have Execute set for Owner or Group or Others.  Also, Others can’t Write.

    So, ok.  I found a fix.  A tedious fix.  But the file’s Modified date is preserved.

    I want the Modified date preserved.  That’s actually when the file was created.  So, it’s good to me to r-click the text file of “Aunt Nellie Mae e-mail” and yeah…. that’s back from 2010. 

    There’s probably some some sort of batch file to change permissions on all text files.  Odds are doing so would screw up software updates.  So not system wide, just in Documents and the folders within.

    But I found an answer I can live with.

  19. paul says:

    I have not installed putty.  But can I modify a shortcut to putty?  Like this that I have pinned in my Win11 start menu?  Sure is handy.:  

    C:\MiscUtil\putty.exe -ssh pi@192.168.0.24 -pw .It.Is.A.Secret.

    I suppose I need to install putty and then learn how to make a shortcut and pin that somewhere easy to find, like Home.

    I’m having fun.

  20. paul says:

    Turns out I don’t have two bathroom fans waiting for me here, or at least I can’t find them.  

    Well, run the wiring anyway.  Stick it through a hole in the ceiling.

  21. Denis says:

    Turns out I don’t have two bathroom fans…

    I will do other things.

    So, Nick is not an Only Fans creator!

    That’s a relief.

    Wee snooze didn’t work. YT was stronger. Ah well. Bedtime now, and I am tired. Ought to be able to sleep. Ought.

    More work tomorrow. Joy.

    Goodnight!

    D. 

  22. Nick Flandrey says:

    Well, run the wiring anyway.  Stick it through a hole in the ceiling. 

    –That is the plan, although I might  run the server closet first.

    One thing to keep in mind, there are two main ways to run a switch.  The easiest is to have power to the light or fan, and then interrupt the hot leg, what I learned to call a “drop leg switch.”  in practice, you just run one romex from the fixture down to the switch, and so the hot path is panel>j box or fixture connection>down to the switch>up from the switch>to the fixture itself.

    The other is to drop TWO romex to the switch, one feeding the switch box, then the other continues back up to the fixture.   This puts a neutral in the switch box, which a lot of modern dimmers/timers/humidity sensors need to work correctly.  It’s a pain in the @ss if you are feeding from above and there are unswitched fixtures downstream of the switch.   Even if feeding from below the switchbox, you still need to continue your uninterrupted hot to the downstream unswitched fixtures.

    Needing a neutral in the switch box complicates what should be a simple thing.

    Progress.

    n

  23. Nick Flandrey says:

    Ah, I see that the easy way to do a “new” drop leg is to use three conductors and switch red/black, while leaving the neutral capped off unless needed.

    https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/electrical/neutral-necessity-wiring-three-way-switches_o

    That makes a ton of sense.   Glad I looked.

    n

  24. Nick Flandrey says:

    I’ve been going thru stuff in the garage looking for the bath fans, and putting stuff away.   I also took a half hour and used a lally column to take the weight off the porch roof support columns so I could move them back to where they belong.  Yeah, 1 foot square brick columns, not actually attached at the roof or the ground.  

    I bumped them while using the skid steer to put in the walk, lifting the roof a bit, so they were not plumb and not in the right spot.   They are now.

    Also took a few minutes to eat lunch and walk the property, opening up the dockhouse.  I’ll probably have a tiny little fire on the dock tonight, if it’s not too chilly.

    Time to get back to work.

    n

  25. Nick Flandrey says:

    Ok, saw this yesterday elsewhere and sat there shaking my head.   WTAF?

    If I shouted out “hey doo rag” I’m pretty sure I’d be getting a beating, and I’m damn sure I wouldn’t get “how can I help you?”

    Backlash Erupts Over Disney’s New ‘Captain Durag’ Cartoon Character for Being ‘Stereotypical’ and ‘Offensive’ 

    n

  26. SteveF says:

    > Turns out I don’t have two bathroom fans…

    So, Nick is not an Only Fans creator!

    Er, no. All we’ve confirmed is that Nick is not an OnlyFans consumer. There is no evidence that Nick is not a fans creator, only that he doesn’t create what he himself wants or, it must be said, needs.

  27. paul says:

    I’m going to try something different.  If it sucks the dogs will be happy.  Happy dogs make me happy, so, I win either way. 

    Walmart sells (or did) an about 12 ounce cup of chicken nuggets.  Like, $3.  Great taste.not messy to eat in the car.  It use to be real chicken.  The last two times I’ve bought it, it’s chicken nugget meat.  The flavor is mostly there but the texture is just, well, you don’t need teeth to chew with. 

    I have a couple of boneless breasts I need to cook.  I’m thinking to dice into about one inch chunks, toss with some oil or bacon grease in a bowl, add salt and pepper, and then some flour with a bit of store brand bread crumbs..  “Breading”, right? .  Then into the air fryer.  Shake it up like cooking frozen french fries.

    It works or it doesn’t.  Only one way to find out.  Worse case is the air fryer will be a mess to wash. 

  28. SteveF says:

    Paul, I suggest cornmeal or cornmeal mixed with flour. Put a nice, heavy dose of herbs in the cornmeal or flour. For the chicken, 1″ squares is good  but cut the slices fairly thin, about the thickness of a chicken nugget or chicken bite. Much of the appeal of chicken nuggets and such is the crispiness. I’d probably pass the chicken pieces through oil (or beaten egg), then  dredge through cornmeal, let it rest a couple minutes, pass it quickly through the oil or egg, and dredge through bread crumbs or panko. All of the above is subject to what’s available on the shelf, of course. Note, though, that I’ve never used an air fryer. The preceding is what I’d do for skillet frying.

    Worst case, they should be edible. (By humans. Of course they’ll be edible to dogs.) Best case, they’ll be really good.

  29. drwilliams says:

    Another Blow to Statehood: Puerto Rico’s Political Reality Is Changing

    For years, Puerto Rico’s statehood movement sold Americans on a simple idea: admission as the 51st state was only a matter of time. But a series of recent political, cultural, and fiscal developments—from congressional resistance in Washington to shifting public sentiment on the island—suggests that assumption is rapidly collapsing. What is emerging instead is a new and more realistic conversation, one increasingly centered on sovereignty and strategic partnership rather than permanent territorial dependence.

    Although Washington is losing interest in statehood, support for national sovereignty options is increasing. Recent votes and polls show that combined support for independence and free association has reached around 43 percent and continues to rise. Youth trends are particularly notable, with surveys in 2024 revealing strong pro-sovereignty feelings among younger Puerto Ricans reaching 60 percent, a group that will influence future elections.

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/02/another_blow_to_statehood_puerto_rico_s_political_reality_is_changing.html

    A superficial treatment with some big omissions.  No mention of the actual percentage of citizens who wish to remain as a U.S. Territory. No mention of the history of mismanagement by the elected leftist government. No mention of the extent of U.S. subsidies that have flowed and are flowing (give us the Billions of $ per year) into the country, and how much has disappeared into the accounts of those leftist officials. (Remember a few years ago that supplies where being landed and held up at the airport, while free water was being sold for $1 a bottle–wonder where the money went?) No mention of the billions that should have bought a first-class electrical grid but produced a few lemons running a dim bulb?

    40-50 years ago we were told that there were more PR’s in NYC than on the island. What’s the number now? How much private money flows from the mainland from to the island?

    And no mention of the external commie underpinnings of the bad decisions that have led to continued poverty and the rising numbers of the younger generation who are unhappy with a status quo that is not really working? Is it pessimism or Occam’s Razor that leads me to believe that independence would shortly lead to a communist takeover after a suitable upswing in violence? 

    The list says seven military bases in PR. The southwest quadrant is the only shoreline without bases. There is no way to disentangle. 

    https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-US-Military-Installations-in-Puerto-Rico-and-Vieques-60_fig1_265100642

    Bottom line is that the current state is probably the best for the U.S., but we clearly need to clean house of the grifters on the island and get it better managed. 

    4
    1
  30. SteveF says:

    Let Puerto Rico go.

    After they pay their debt.

    US official national debt: about $38T – call it 3E13

    Puerto Rico population: about 3M – 3E6

    Each Puerto Rican’s share: $10M. Cash only, please. We are not in a position to extend credit to a nation of generational freeloaders.

  31. drwilliams says:

    ‘Jim Snow 2.0’: Mamdani Requires Multiple Forms of ID If You Want to Help Clear NYC Streets

    Democrat socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has taken the duplicity to new heights, however, combining idiocy with hypocrisy in just one statement regarding New York City snow removal. You can help out, the mayor said Saturday — just be sure to bring two forms of ID and your Social Security card:

    https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2026/02/21/jim-snow-20-mamdani-requires-multiple-forms-of-id-it-you-want-to-help-shovel-snow-seriously-n2199415

    Contemplate for a moment: 

    1. NYC requires more ID to volunteer to remove snow than it does to vote.
    2. The requirement, by it’s nature, excludes illegal aliens, thus giving them a free ride on the backs of citizens .
  32. paul says:

    I made the chicken.  OMG so good.  I didn’t want to open a bag of flour for a couple of table spoons.  Hey, I have a canister here of Aunt Jemima corn bread mix.

    So a couple three table spoons of that.  And a couple or three of store brand Italin flavored bread crumbs.   I didn’t measure.   Sprinkle on generous amounts of salt and black pepper.  Drizzle on a tablespoon or so of peanut oil.  Wave the MSG over it.   And some Peezy’s Cajun stuff because it right next to the MSG.

    Mix well, wearing the flimsy gloves like the folks in the deli wear.  I hate chicken “stuff” under my fingernails. Beef or pork is no problem.  Turkey is no problem.  

    Put a layer of chicken in the air fryer.  With tongs.  Meanwhile, divvy the rest and hit one side with a bunch of cayenne and the other side with dried itialian herbs.

    First batch of chicken is done.  Dump on a plate.  Toss all the rest into the air fryer.   I’m tired of standing here, you know?  Yeah.  Gotta pull the basket out a few times to shake/stir. 

    I’m going to do this again.  The chicken fully cooked and isn’t dry.  

    I seem to have spilled some crispy crumbs in the process.   I didn’t have much on the counter….  Buddy the Beagle pretty much washed the gap of floor between the rug and then licked the rug clean.  His face when I gave a bit of chicken was pretty cool.  Silly puppy.

    Maybe I’m easily amused. 

    10
  33. paul says:

    We don’t need Puerto Rico as a state.  We have more than enough spics swimming the Rio Grande as it is.

  34. paul says:

    I have a little 900 watt air fryer.  The basket slash pan is about 6×6 inches.  It’s not a high powered machine.  But for just me?  To cook a handful of frozen french fries?  It’s just right.

    It works ok enough with the little 5 ounce bacon wrapped steaks.  Eight minutes, then toss in a few frozen fries for another 12 minutes.  Add more time if the fries aren’t done enough.  It’s edible.  Sometimes the steak is cooked just the way I like.   But it’s easier than firing up the gas grill and sitting outside on a cold windy day.

  35. drwilliams says:

    Puerto Ricans are already U.S citizens and have no need of entering the mainland illegally.

    And the ball barriers have made it a lot harder to cross the Rio Grande. 

    It does point to another question: If Puerto Rico votes for independence, how will we deal with U.S. citizenship? The easy answer would be to grandfather existing citizens, but the dual-citizenship crap that the commies have introduced to undermine our national sovereignty in the last 50 years would make that a perpetually fertilizing fustercluck.

    Or we could just do away with dual-citizenship, and start tomorrow with Gooface the skier.

    6
    1
  36. paul says:

    Time to take Buddy the Beagle for his bedtime walk.

    He’s done with cleaning the kitchen floor and he just let me know it’s time for a walk.

    He cracks me up.

  37. Nick Flandrey says:

    Since the dog is at home with W and the kids, I’ve got to clean my own floor.   It’s more work than I’m used to as he does an excellent job.

    n

Comments are closed.