Fri. Feb. 26, 2021 – “Timber!”

By on February 26th, 2021 in march to war, personal, prepping, rats, WuFlu

Cool and wet.   Probably raining.   All we got yesterday was dew and a very light misty drizzle.  Which was actually fine with me, but it did play havoc with the OTHER drivers on the roads around Houston.

I did my pickups, got some great deals on household stuff, and a couple of minor things to add to the “resell” pile.   Daughter 2 was thrilled with a new rug for her room.  It’s very pink, and VERY fuzzy.  I got a new in box 100% goose down comforter for my bed.   It was a bit chilly for the light blanket I normally use during the recent cold snap.  Yes, I know, we’ll probably never have the same problem again, but getting a light down comforter has been on my list for a while. $12.50.  Who would say no to that?

Before I left on my errands, I found the dead rat in the attic.    The trap got him.  First time for everything I guess.   Washing and soaking the trap with bleach hasn’t gotten rid of the odor, so I think I’ll be making another.   I can’t imagine the rat dumb enough to enter the trap if it smells like death.

Today we’re supposed  to have the tree guy taking down our half rotten pecan in the back yard.   The house will be hotter this summer, the grass will not grow as well, but my garden should benefit.   The squirrels are going to be upset.  I say “supposed to” because I don’t know what he’ll want to do if it’s raining, and the national forecast is showing rain for us.


Lots of people online talking about the coming collapse of the financial bubble, and the coming conflict between city and rural, and a lot of other stuff.   Not many talking about what to do if they are right.  One without the other is just distraction at this point, as far as I’m concerned.  LOTS of distraction out there.  FOCUS on what you need to do to get through whatever is coming.    Don’t get distracted.   Monitor, yes.  Obsess, no.

Speaking of distraction, it didn’t take long to bomb Syria did it?

You need stuff, knowledge, friends.   Stack them deep.

 

n

 

 

 

80 Comments and discussion on "Fri. Feb. 26, 2021 – “Timber!”"

  1. nick flandrey says:

    68F and wet this morning. No idea about the tree trimmer.

    n

  2. Ray Thompson says:

    Mr. Potato Head is now going genderless. It also originally had a potato for brains but now is an empty plastic shell.

    So I propose that Mr. Potato Head should be renamed Mr. Joe Biden Head.

    11
    1
  3. Greg Norton says:

    “So says Mitt Romney, the sole Republican senator to have voted twice to convict President Donald J. Trump of impeachable acts.”

    Romney is beginning to remind me of Regina the blond girl in the “Mean Girls” movie.

    Mittens let the reaction to the Netflix documentary about 2012 go to his head.

    The Elders put Mittens in his seat to vote for a conservative Court. They look the other way on his Daddy issues beyond that because the church doesn’t like/trust Trump or the evangelicals.

  4. MrAtoz says:

    Just what we need:

    Secretary Pete Buttigieg Makes Fight Against ‘Systemic Racism’ Centerpiece of Transportation Department

    I suppose NASA will replace it’s Mooslim outreach with Critical Race Theory in the near future.

    I don’t think plugs is coming up with these idiot nominees. His handlers are feeding it to him with his pablum.

  5. SteveF says:

    “I don’t even know what I’m signing.”

  6. nick flandrey says:

    Now 60F and very light drizzle. Tree guy is 22 minutes late, with no word. Hmm. I cleared a path for him thru the ‘inventory’ and everything.

    n

  7. Ray Thompson says:

    Potato Head to remain Mr.

    Can we rename Biden to Potato Head? Personality and brains of a potato.

    4
    1
  8. Greg Norton says:

    I don’t think plugs is coming up with these idiot nominees. His handlers are feeding it to him with his pablum.

    Buttigieg is Deep State with ties to the CIA and the Plugs family racket through the Truman Project.

    Long term, Mayor Pete is probably Hunter Biden’s insurance policy for 2028. The race for Governor in Indiana is open, without an incumbent, in 2024.

  9. nick flandrey says:

    Still no tree guy. Temp is back up to 64F . Weird.

    n

  10. nick flandrey says:

    currently 71F and still overcast. Tree guy updated to arrive 1230. late is the new ‘on time’.

    n

  11. Harold Combs says:

    Saw a crawl along the bottom of our local (Fox 25) morning news program that said the Capitol Police have reports that “militias” are planning to blow up the Capitol building during Bidens first State of the Union address. Can’t find this nonsense anywhere else. Sounds like disinformation being spread to further demonize conservatives and keep the military in DC indefinitely.
    Somewhat connected…..
    Watched a Bill Whittle YouTube video last night titled “What do you fear”.
    https://youtu.be/Ehl9tK4Gw8U
    It looks at a poll of people’s greatest fears broken down by political view. The results are astonishing. Democrats greatest fear by far is “Trump supporters”. What kind of world do these people live in?

  12. nick flandrey says:

    doing my instacart orders, didn’t want to wait for friday but also wanted to give some time to restock and for people with more immediate need to shop….

    costco has TWO choices in the meat department. Whole chickens, or tilapia. That is nuts, and the physical store can’t possibly be that wiped out, can it?

    n

    false alarm, something was wrong with the listing. when I came at it sideways, I got more choices.

  13. Alan says:

    Heads up to those in H-town…Sleepy Joe comin’ to visit today…be sure to roll out that TX hospitality!

  14. Greg Norton says:

    costco has TWO choices in the meat department. Whole chickens, or tilapia. That is nuts, and the physical store can’t possibly be that wiped out, can it?

    Meat department at the local Sam’s was completely wiped out when we stopped on Sunday, everything except big briskets. The line to enter the store on Saturday stretched the length of the building.

    I wasn’t going to look at the store again until Sunday/Monday.

    Our local HMart gets a lot of Instacart shopping late at night on weeknights, and that place was cleaned out of just about everything on Saturday. I doubt it is much better as I type this.

  15. Alan says:

    Can’t find this nonsense anywhere else.

    @Harold; was in the MSM news yesterday – for example: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/25/politics/us-capitol-attack-house-hearing-pittman-blodgett/index.html

    –added
    Are we ready for “President Kiefer Sutherland”?

  16. Rick Hellewell says:

    Re the threat against the Capitol during the State of the Union speech –

    I’ve seen several articles about that from various sources – CNN, CBS, NPR, many others. Based on testimony from the Capitol Police Chief:

    Pittman said law enforcement remains concerned about threats by known militia groups “with a direct nexus to the State of the Union” address.

    “We know that members of the militia groups that were present on January 6 have stated their desires that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the State of the Union, which we know that date has not been identified,” she told House lawmakers during Thursday’s hearing on security failures related to January 6.

    Here’s a list of stories – widely reported: https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqOQgKIjNDQklTSURvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoTUtFUWpwNl9TQmtvQU1FU2loOXlxdHNWV3JLQUFQAQ?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen .

  17. Greg Norton says:

    In other Brown Truck Mall and Food Court news, Uber Eats completely crushed the experimental White Castle virtual kitchen in Orlando this week.

    Who knows how well they will do with an actual building. Orlando is a brutal restaurant market, and Miami-based Burger King chased White Castle and Jack In The Box out of Florida by the late 70s.

    https://www.wftv.com/news/local/white-castle-launches-virtual-kitchen-delivery-service-orlando/NDXQEZUJ7NCGZMKROJUTBMJK3Q/

  18. lynn says:

    Watching Starlink, but have not signed up yet. I wish there was a way to see the signups, but bet there are a lot. Still think it has the best potential. Like at Paul’s, nobody will trench fiber here. PTP and satellite make sense.

    AT&T wants $500/month with a two year contract to pull fiber into my office with a 10/10 mbps limit. Not gonna happen today.

    Although, after I uploaded the new 180 MB download for my customers to my website yesterday at 1 mbps taking 20 minutes, I am tempted.

  19. lynn says:

    Speaking of distraction, it didn’t take long to bomb Syria did it?

    Why do we have troops in Syria ?

    Freaking warmongers.

    Even my wife commented on Biden bombing Syria this morning and she is very non partisan.

  20. Greg Norton says:

    Why do we have troops in Syria ?

    Freaking warmongers.

    I don’t think this week was about the obsession the Dems have about taking out the Opthamologist running Syria as much as demonstrating the US still has air strike capability after a week of bad news regarding the F35 and Biden’s ongoing decline.

    Another factor was probably bad Boeing news about SLS and the 777. The air strikes used F15’s that the company has been involved with rehabbing for the better part of the last decade.

    Perkins Coie gets a win for two clients — the Dems and Boeing.

  21. Bob Sprowl says:

    Spectrum gets $99.99 per month for Internet Ultra 400 mps down. Cable or TV included. Only Spectrum available in my neighborhood.

  22. lynn says:

    “The confirmation hearing of Dr. Mengele”
    https://gunfreezone.net/the-confirmation-hearing-of-dr-mengele/

    “Here’s Rand Paul likening transition surgery to “genital mutilation” while questioning Dr. Rachel Levine, a trans woman, at her confirmation hearing.”

    “Let me make this perfectly clear.”

    “If you are an adult, and you want to transition your gender, after years of understanding who you are, and fully emotionally mature and cognizant of what you are doing, go right ahead. That is your right in a free society.”

    “However, children are not adults.”

    “Anyone who pushes gender transition on a child, especially a pre-pubescent child deserves to skip to the front of the woodchipper line.”

    Like I said yesterday, this socalled doctor is mentally disturbed and should not be a federal bureaucrat. Anyone giving hormone blockers to children under the age of 18 is a monster.

  23. ITGuy1998 says:

    I’ve seen several articles about that from various sources – CNN, CBS, NPR, many others. Based on testimony from the Capitol Police Chief:

    It must be true then.

  24. Harold says:

    I’ve seen several articles about that from various sources – CNN, CBS, NPR, many others. Based on testimony from the Capitol Police Chief:

    It must be true then.

    True disinformation.
    Who was it recently who publicly contemplated “blowing up the White House”? She is an avowed Insurection conspiritor.

    3
    1
  25. nick flandrey says:

    Battlespace prep for the false flag event…

    n

    4
    2
  26. Greg Norton says:

    Like I said yesterday, this socalled doctor is mentally disturbed and should not be a federal bureaucrat. Anyone giving hormone blockers to children under the age of 18 is a monster.

    Beyond the protection of the transgender community, Levine is from Pennsylvania.

    I saw a story that he/she was Penn State School of Medicine, but that needs some fact checking. I know PSU alums who will still defend *Sandusky* as quickly as they will Paterno.

    Still, Scranton Joe taking care of the real home state.

    There is another factor with Levine, but that is a third rail -ism.

  27. lynn says:

    OK, riddle me this. The single bay garage door opener remote is now working to put the garage door down after I back my truck out of the garage and the light is still on. The only events that I can think of is 1) it is warmer now, and 2) we had an extended power outage of 48 hours. Weird, huh ?

  28. lynn says:

    There is another factor with Levine, but that is a third rail -ism.

    You are going to have to give me another clue, because, I am clueless today.

  29. lynn says:

    “The 2021 ammo shortage”
    https://gunfreezone.net/the-2021-ammo-shortage/

    One supplier sold 1.2 million rounds in 20 minutes ! Are you kidding me ?

  30. Greg Norton says:

    “There is another factor with Levine, but that is a third rail -ism.”

    You are going to have to give me another clue, because, I am clueless today.

    If the nomination gets into trouble, they’ll start to throw out accusations of antisemitism.

  31. ITGuy1998 says:

    OK, riddle me this. The single bay garage door opener remote is now working to put the garage door down after I back my truck out of the garage and the light is still on. The only events that I can think of is 1) it is warmer now, and 2) we had an extended power outage of 48 hours. Weird, huh ?

    Another possibility may be with the sensors at the base of the door. I have one door that the tracks aren’t anchored the best at the bottom, and sometimes they will get out of line just enough to give a false reading when the door is activated. It’s not all the time and there is no pattern that I have found. Just something else to consider. I am going to fix the loose track issue real soon now…

  32. nick flandrey says:

    “One supplier sold 1.2 million rounds in 20 minutes ! Are you kidding me ? ”

    –between riots in the streets, defund the police, and CWII, people are arming up. NO JOKE. It’s coming, a real shooting war. It’s already started but is very local and low key so far. I have no idea what the intensity level will be, or what areas will be most affected, but it’s coming.

    n

    4
    1
  33. nick flandrey says:

    @greg, got my NVR linux mint box to boot. Booted from the usb stick, deleted the massive /var/log/cups/errors.txt files and on reboot everything came back up.

    guys are cutting down and cutting up the back yard pecan tree. gonna be some confused squirrels later today.

    n

  34. lynn says:

    “US Military Tests Satellite for Beaming Power Down to Earth”
    https://wordpress.futurism.com/military-tests-satellite-beaming-power-space

    “A team of scientists have successfully tested a solar panel prototype that can theoretically send electricity from space back to anywhere on Earth, CNN reports.”

    “The panel, called the Photovoltaic Radio-Frequency Antenna Module (PRAM) and roughly the size of a pizza box, was first launched in May 2020, mounted to the Pentagon’s top secret X-37B drone.”

    Ah, trying the solve the question of how to get power to deployed troops. And not frying them.

    Hat tip to:
    https://www.codeproject.com/script/Mailouts/View.aspx?mlid=15643

  35. lynn says:

    OK, riddle me this. The single bay garage door opener remote is now working to put the garage door down after I back my truck out of the garage and the light is still on. The only events that I can think of is 1) it is warmer now, and 2) we had an extended power outage of 48 hours. Weird, huh ?

    Another possibility may be with the sensors at the base of the door. I have one door that the tracks aren’t anchored the best at the bottom, and sometimes they will get out of line just enough to give a false reading when the door is activated. It’s not all the time and there is no pattern that I have found. Just something else to consider. I am going to fix the loose track issue real soon now…

    Nope, because I could hit the wired button on the garage wall and the single bay garage door went down perfectly. It was just ignoring the remote. Now it does not ignore the remote.

  36. lynn says:

    “There is another factor with Levine, but that is a third rail -ism.”

    You are going to have to give me another clue, because, I am clueless today.

    If the nomination gets into trouble, they’ll start to throw out accusations of antisemitism.

    Ah. I am neither a Semite nor am I antisemitic so I do not think of this.

  37. nick flandrey says:

    All done with the cutting and stacking. They have to return in a week or two to grind the stump. The big grinder couldn’t fit thru the gate, with my inventory in the way.

    They have a small grinder,but it was in the shop.

    Decent amount of firewood too.

    n

  38. lynn says:

    “EIA: Texas natural gas production fell by almost half during recent cold snap”
    https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/25022021/eia-texas-natural-gas-production-fell-by-almost-half-during-recent-cold-snap/

    “During the cold snap that affected much of the central part of the country, US dry natural gas production fell to as low as 69.7 billion ft3/d on 17 February, a decline of 21%, or down nearly 18.9 billion ft3/d from the week ending 13 February. Natural gas production in Texas fell almost 45% from 21.3 billion ft3/d during the week ending 13 February to a daily low of 11.8 billion ft3/d on Wednesday, 17 February, according to estimates from IHS Markit. Temperatures in Texas averaged nearly 30° Fahrenheit lower than normal during the week of 14 February.”

    So natural gas production dropped by 45%, wind turbine production dropped by 90%, solar power dropped by 50%, and nuclear dropped by 25%. I am not sure how the coal units performed. So, nuclear is the best for extreme weather events looking at this simplistically.

  39. lynn says:

    “Whispers of $100 Oil Return”
    https://www.rigzone.com/news/wire/whispers_of_100_oil_return-24-feb-2021-164716-article/

    And maybe $5 natural gas would be a twofer !

  40. SteveF says:

    I am neither a Semite nor am I antisemitic

    Hey! Check your privilege, you hater! You’re not allowed to say that. Only your moral betters are able to judge whether you have unconscious racism, sexism, or other bias.

  41. lynn says:

    “Orders of Battle (Frontlines)” by Marko Kloos
    https://www.amazon.com/Orders-Battle-Frontlines-Marko-Kloos/dp/1542019583/?tag=ttgnet-20

    Book number seven of a seven book military science fiction series. I read the well printed and well bound trade paperback published by 47North in 2021. I look forward to any and all future books in the series.

    Ok, here is your warning. This book is reboot of the series and ends in a cliffhanger. If you cannot wait for the number eight book after reading this book then I would wait to read it.

    It has been four years since Earth threw the Lankies, a 20 meter tall dinosour advanced space traveling race, off of Mars. Many of the Earth colonies in other star systems have been destroyed by the Lankies. But, what are the Lankies doing now ?

    BTW, on page 3 of the book, the author mentions that the Earth is now home to 100 billion humans in 2120, most eating flavored soy to stay alive. All burials are now cremations with the results either scattered or temporarily buried in a 10 cm (4 inch) by 20 cm (8 inch) plot. I worked my own math to see what rate it would take to get there. The current population of the Earth is 7.8 billion. First, the current rate of growth of the Earth is 1.09% according to:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_growth_rate

    Using the current planetary growth factor of 1.09% is (1.0109)^100 * 7.8e9 = 23,062,918,119 people. Now using a planetary growth factor of 2.6% is (1.026)^100 * 7.8e9 = 101,585,256,208 people in 2120. So, the 100 billion people in 2120 is achievable but people are going to have a lot more babies.

    Please note that the author has a website at:
    http://www.markokloos.com/

    My rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
    Amazon rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,821 reviews)

  42. lynn says:

    “Some Texans use 2021 Ford F-150 hybrid pickup trucks to power homes amid winter storm”
    https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/18/some-texans-use-2021-ford-f-150-hybrids-to-power-homes-amid-winter-storm.html

    “When Randy Jones of Katy, Texas, bought his new Ford F-150 pickup truck a few weeks ago, he didn’t think he’d be using it to keep the lights on in his house during a historic winter storm that left millions without power.”

    “The 2021 hybrid’s onboard generator “gives you the ability to use your truck like a mobile generator” that can produce up to 7.2 kW of power, according to Ford.”

    Hmm. Maybe I should cancel my 38 kW home generator order and buy a new F-150 Hybrid instead.

    Hat tip to:
    https://www.carprousa.com/A-Week-With-No-Power-How-a-Dodge-%26-Halo-Saved-Me/a/1820

  43. Greg Norton says:

    “If the nomination gets into trouble, they’ll start to throw out accusations of antisemitism.”

    Ah. I am neither a Semite nor am I antisemitic so I do not think of this.

    I’ve been accused of antisemitism both in my professional and personal life, including once by a disgraced Rabbi on the payroll of CAIR back in Florida — an antisemite semite!

    Ironically, I’ve also experienced situations where I’ve been on the receiving end of dislike because the individuals assumed I was Jewish. It seems an automatic among black and hispanic people I encounter. I strongly suspect that was one of many reasons I started the last job in the dog house.

  44. Greg Norton says:

    “The 2021 hybrid’s onboard generator “gives you the ability to use your truck like a mobile generator” that can produce up to 7.2 kW of power, according to Ford.”

    Hmm. Maybe I should cancel my 38 kW generator order and buy a new F-150 Hybrid instead.

    It is a shame that Ford didn’t have the guts to offer a small diesel option with the hybrid.

  45. lynn says:

    “The 2021 hybrid’s onboard generator “gives you the ability to use your truck like a mobile generator” that can produce up to 7.2 kW of power, according to Ford.”

    Hmm. Maybe I should cancel my 38 kW generator order and buy a new F-150 Hybrid instead.

    It is a shame that Ford didn’t have the guts to offer a small diesel option with the hybrid.

    Don’t want one. The emission controls on the small diesel are a nightmare.

  46. SteveF says:

    Maybe I should cancel my 38 kW home generator order and buy a new F-150 Hybrid instead.

    I have no answers but have a couple things to look into:

    – How much gasoline will you need to have on hand to keep the thing idling and running the generator for a week?
    – Can it run for a week nonstop without destroying something?
    – How clean is the power coming out of the generator? Especially after it’s been running for a week? Will you destroy the control board in your air conditioner or your refrigerator?
    – How much power can it put out over a prolonged period?

  47. Rick Hellewell says:

    How clean is the power coming out of the generator?

    …and….if you use a generator, how do you protect the circuits and devices inside the house when on generator power? Is a good-quality surge protector enough, or is more required?

    Asking for a friend.

  48. nick flandrey says:

    ” Is a good-quality surge protector enough, or is more required?”

    –no, yes.

    n

  49. nick flandrey says:

    Ha!

    Unless you are running a honda inverter based gennie, I’d say that any ‘delicate’ electronics need to be on the far side of a full conversion UPS. Let the UPS provide clean stable power.

    It’s not the surge that is the issue but over and under volting, and variation in frequency, combined with lots of nasty harmonics.

    n

    After IKE, 14 days on the generac, we ended up replacing the control board for the HVAC, and for the fridge. I’m fairly certain there were other things killed as well.
    n

  50. Rick Hellewell says:

    At least a year ago, I ordered an Viair 85p Portable Air Compressor, to use for tire inflation when needed. Don’t need a full-size compressor, so this was a great size. Comes in a bag, so easy to carry. This one: https://amzn.to/3aVP4Px .

    Today I needed to top off the air pressure on the tires for my 2008 Camry – there’s a slow leak (need to drive over to America’s Tire for a free flat repair). The Camry doesn’t get driven much these days – I may sell it. In any event, the compressor didn’t work.

    Turns out there is a 15A fuse in the lighter connector plug – not mentioned in the little users’ manual, but the Viair web site had quick tech support (and a video) about how to replace the fuse.

    Which I was going to do, but somewhere between the car and the garage work bench, the metal parts at the end of the plug got loose and went away. So back to the web site, and a chat gave me their phone number.

    Three minutes later, the order for replacement parts was complete – and free! I’ll get it in a few days by mail.

    So, huzzah for the Viair guys – their product (which works well) and after-sales support. Recommended.

  51. MrAtoz says:

    Disgusting.

    CNN Fake Newser, Jake Tapper, is on Twitter defending PressSec Psaki’s 2017 Tweet “What authority does the President have to launch a strike…” since it is *completely* different than plugsy McSpongeBrains air strike. “It’s an airstrike in retaliation for attacks on US forces and not US interests.” You see, if a Dumbocrat blows people up, it’s OK.

    Talk about a partisan news agency. And CNN still disparages Faux News as partisan.

    Please, please, FMOD, drop your righteous self on DC and wherever Tapper sits.

    2
    1
  52. Greg Norton says:

    After IKE, 14 days on the generac, we ended up replacing the control board for the HVAC, and for the fridge. I’m fairly certain there were other things killed as well.

    How new were the appliances?

    IKE happened during the era of the Chinese knockoffs of the Japanese power caps, ~2007-08

    A lot of US manufacturers got bit by that one.

  53. Greg Norton says:

    NN Fake Newser, Jake Tapper, is on Twitter defending PressSec Psaki’s 2017 Tweet “What authority does the President have to launch a strike…” since it is *completely* different than plugsy McSpongeBrains air strike. “It’s an airstrike in retaliation for attacks on US forces and not US interests.” You see, if a Dumbocrat blows people up, it’s OK.

    I don’t think Psaki’s long for that job. The handlers sent her over, another Obama retread, but you can see it in her eyes that she wasn’t quite prepared for the magnitude of the lies.

  54. paul says:

    During the big freeze I had to fetch plumbing parts. Prepper fail. Coming home I hit some slick and now I know how ABS feels at the brake pedal. Trippy.

    The ABS light is randomly on or off. No codes that my reader can see. The brakes feel fine. Tire pressure looks good (none look low). Brake fluid? I have to get a strong FLASHLIGHT for that. Ford has a better idea and has the reservoir under the trim between windshield and hood. I can remove the cap, barely. Adding fluid seems to involve a long funnel with a hose into the reservoir. Fluid level should be fine, it was topped of at the last oil change. Last March, all of 1200 miles ago.

    Google has plenty of do this or do that noise. Assuming a sensor on a 2004 van with all of 53,000 miles has not suddenly failed the first time it was needed, it looks like “disconnect the battery for 10 minutes” is the cure. So I’ll try that.

    The Jeep is in the shop. The Dealer’s shop. Climate control stuck in full heat. Yeah, maybe $1700 to repair. Oh well. It’s a 2000 Cherokee with 230,000 miles and other than a heater core last year, I can’t think of anything that has broken since 85,000 miles.

    When the Jeep is done, the truck goes in for a check up. The last shop said bad head gaskets and cracked block. I’m doubtful. On a re-man engine with maybe 10,000 miles? “We can fix it with a new engine for $7800.” On an ’02 truck? Nope. Truck runs like a Singer. If it is a head gasket, well, there goes a grand from savings.

    It’s just money.

    The fill valve on the dishwasher froze. A combo of skimpy floor insulation and 1F cold and “super quiet” sound proofing. A $29 part from eBay. Hopefully that is all that froze. I’ll find out when the part arrives.

    The plumber came by on Wednesday. Fixed the supply to the washing machine in about the time it would take to gather the parts. From arrival to departure, they were here almost an hour. They will send a bill. My redneck fix to the kitchen sink met with their approval.

    I’ll crawl under the house next week to get everything wrapped.

  55. lynn says:

    Maybe I should cancel my 38 kW home generator order and buy a new F-150 Hybrid instead.

    I have no answers but have a couple things to look into:

    – How much gasoline will you need to have on hand to keep the thing idling and running the generator for a week?
    – Can it run for a week nonstop without destroying something?
    – How clean is the power coming out of the generator? Especially after it’s been running for a week? Will you destroy the control board in your air conditioner or your refrigerator?
    – How much power can it put out over a prolonged period?

    “5 Fun Facts About the 2021 F-150’s Onboard Generator”
    https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2020/06/5-fun-facts-about-the-2021-f-150s-onboard-generator.html

    “Ford unveiled the redesigned 2021 F-150 full-size pickup truck today, and while the super-mild sheet metal revisions and mostly carryover powertrains aren’t much to get excited about, two new additions to the lineup are definitely worth a second look. First, there’s a first-ever F-150 hybrid, featuring a 1.5-kilowatt-hour, liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery and a 35-kilowatt electric motor sandwiched into the 10-speed automatic transmission. And while we expect this will be pretty nifty for fuel economy and towing purposes, the hybrid system enables Ford to offer something truly unique: the new Pro Power Onboard electrical generator system.”

    “Three different levels of Pro Power Onboard are being offered: a 2.0-kW system available on any gas-engine F-150 except the standard 3.3-liter V-6, a 2.4-kW system that’s standard on the new F-150 hybrid and an optional 7.2-kW system only available on the hybrid.”

    Ok, the first picture of the power panel is cool.

    Gonna have to be careful using this model of the F-150 with the bed as a sauna or a baptismal.

  56. lynn says:

    I’ll crawl under the house next week to get everything wrapped.

    I always prefer to do that job in the extreme cold. I hate meeting a copperhead down there.

  57. paul says:

    I always prefer to do that job in the extreme cold. I hate meeting a copperhead down there.

    Plenty of cats wandering around for what that is worth.

    Cold weather for snakes, sure. Warm enough so I can feel my fingers is a must.

  58. Alan says:

    So, huzzah for the Viair guys – their product (which works well) and after-sales support. Recommended.

    +1…I have one of their compressors in one of my tool bags stashed in the car. Along with jumper cables, dial air gauge, 12v impact wrench (essential more than once when the grease monkey at the mechanic had their air gun set too high), 12v scissor jack, basic set of hand tools, ratchet set, roll of duct tape, gloves, blanket and of course FLASHLIGHTS.

  59. Alan says:

    I don’t think Psaki’s long for that job. The handlers sent her over, another Obama retread, but you can see it in her eyes that she wasn’t quite prepared for the magnitude of the lies.

    Agreed…iirc reading about it at the time of her selection she really didn’t want the job as she has two young kids at home that she now probably doesn’t see very much. Odds are she’s replaced by the end of the year.

  60. Alan says:

    it looks like “disconnect the battery for 10 minutes” is the cure. So I’ll try that.

    @paul; disconnecting the battery for that long may also reset other sensors on the car – check your owners manual for specifics of how much driving gets them ‘relearned’.

  61. SteveF says:

    I have one of their compressors in one of my tool bags stashed in the car. Along with…

    In much the same vein.

    As long as I’m putting in a link to one of my Daily Pundit posts, here’s one with hurty words.

  62. Greg Norton says:

    “I don’t think Psaki’s long for that job. The handlers sent her over, another Obama retread, but you can see it in her eyes that she wasn’t quite prepared for the magnitude of the lies.”

    Agreed…iirc reading about it at the time of her selection she really didn’t want the job as she has two young kids at home that she now probably doesn’t see very much. Odds are she’s replaced by the end of the year.

    Jay Carney never seemed to be right for that job, but now he makes huge money running something for Google. Psaki will cash in at one of the tech companies.

    Amazon HQ2 should start major construction soon just across the river from DC. The toll lanes down to Fredericksburg in the median of 95 are still scheduled to open at the end of 2022, just in time for the personnel fallout of the mid-terms.

    One of my former co-workers’ phone numbers flashed on my phone the other day. I let it go to message. I guess that individual changed their mind about asking for help because I did not get the voice mail. However, I think I know who inherited DC.

  63. nick flandrey says:

    From Dan Crenshaw’s eletter to constituents…

    There are several factors that contributed to the widespread power outages, but in short, this was a natural disaster that took a serious toll on our energy infrastructure. Temperatures this low are extremely rare in Texas, and our infrastructure was not prepared. That’s why we must ensure this does not happen again by winterizing our infrastructure to ensure it can withstand freezing temperatures and continue to supply Texans with energy should a weather event like this recur.

    First, we lost the ability to transport natural gas. Texas gas pipelines are not insulated for the cold, so they froze.

    Second, wind turbines froze and had to be de-iced. Though there were almost 31 gigawatts installed on the Texas grid, on Monday, February 15, we couldn’t even count on 6 gigawatts working. Additionally, wind energy is stored in batteries, and those batteries lost 60% of their energy in the cold.

    Third, one of Texas’s four nuclear units was forced to shut down because a safety sensor froze , further limiting the amount of nuclear energy being supplied to our grid.

    In short, an unprecedented weather event severely limited our ability to power our grid. Blackouts were not caused by damage to power lines, like during hurricanes, but by a shortage of energy. That’s why we worked around the clock to ensure power was restored as soon as possible. I spoke directly with ERCOT last week to make sure they were working tirelessly to get more power back on the grid.

    –The battery info was new to me.

    n

  64. lynn says:

    Additionally, wind energy is stored in batteries, and those batteries lost 60% of their energy in the cold.

    Third,–The battery info was new to me.

    https://www.vistracorp.com/vistra-zero/

    As far as I know, it is the largest battery facility in the world, 400 MW peak power with a total storage of 1,600 MWH. In California.

    The four facilities are:
    DECORDOVA ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY 260 MW / 260 MWh Hood County TX
    MOSS LANDING ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY 400 MW / 1,600 MWh Moss Landing, CA
    OAKLAND ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY 36.25 MW / 145 MWh Oakland, CA
    UPTON 2 ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY 10 MW / 42 MWh battery Upton County, TX

    Those batteries had better not freeze, they are probably liquid cooled. Probably antifreeze though.

  65. MrAtoz says:

    It’s a 2000 Cherokee with 230,000 miles and other than a heater core last year, I can’t think of anything that has broken since 85,000 miles.

    This is racist vehicle. Please ship it to Mr. Harold Combs.

  66. Alan says:

    Yeah, nobody there will be permanently WFH, right Nancy? None of this is in your district, right Nan…oops, never mind…

    “While we’re all going through this very painful COVID experience, a sense of normal is not too far around the corner, and we have to be planning for it,” he said. “People will be going back to work. We don’t know how many. People will be riding transit. We don’t know how many. But we need a strong, reliable BART system. That means more trains through the Transbay Tube. That means an extension to San Jose.”
    https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/BART-Muni-Caltrain-would-be-big-winners-in-15977349.php

  67. lynn says:

    “NASA Welcomes Litter Of Mars Rovers After Successful Breeding Of Perseverance, Curiosity”
    https://www.theonion.com/nasa-welcomes-litter-of-mars-rovers-after-successful-br-1846346625

    “PASADENA, CA—Proudly announcing the arrival of the newest additions to the NASA family, top officials at the U.S. space agency welcomed a litter of Mars rovers Thursday after successfully breeding Perseverance with Curiosity. “We’re happy to report that Perseverance gave birth to 12 healthy, bouncing baby rovers early this morning,” said Michael M. Watkins, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, describing the emotional moment when a dozen viable research crafts—their tiny chassis covered in oil and titanium shavings—were expelled from the parent rover’s motorized womb into the red dust on the planet’s surface.”

  68. lynn says:

    It’s a 2000 Cherokee with 230,000 miles and other than a heater core last year, I can’t think of anything that has broken since 85,000 miles.

    This is racist vehicle. Please ship it to Mr. Harold Combs.

    I believe that Harold Combs is a Creek, not a Cherokee. Please ship it to my wife.

  69. Greg Norton says:

    “It’s a 2000 Cherokee with 230,000 miles and other than a heater core last year, I can’t think of anything that has broken since 85,000 miles.”

    ‘This is racist vehicle. Please ship it to Mr. Harold Combs.’

    I believe that Harold Combs is a Creek, not a Cherokee. Please ship it to my wife.

    Cash for Clunkers 2.0 will take care of the racist vehicles, just like the 1.0 iteration pulled the last 90s Cherokees off the road that Iacocca approved going into the pipeline before he retired.

    Geesh, that was a long time ago.

    You’ll need the credit for your Tonymobile or other sanctioned EV … and the electricity to power it.

    1
    1
  70. drwilliams says:

    I’ve got room in the front yard.
    Mebbe I should stockpile a few of them.
    Help pay for the libtard electric conversion project.

  71. Ray Thompson says:

    The more I use these ASUS routers the more impressed I am with the features and function. Good stuff indeed.

  72. Bob Sprowl says:

    @Alan RE 12v impact wrench. Not nearly enough tool if they used a bigger wrench on it. I have a 24 inch breaker bar and appropriate deep well socket from Harbor Freight in each of my vehicles.

  73. nick flandrey says:

    @bob, that still might not be enough unless you have a lot of @ss to put into it….

    n

  74. drwilliams says:

    …or a pipe extension.

  75. Nightraker says:

    stand on it!

  76. ITGuy1998 says:

    I always loosen and then torque the lug nuts to spec after a visit to the tire shop. Since I’ve been getting them at Costco, I haven’t had one put on with 200 lb ft of torque, but it still doesn’t hurt to double check.

  77. lynn says:

    I always loosen and then torque the lug nuts to spec after a visit to the tire shop. Since I’ve been getting them at Costco, I haven’t had one put on with 200 lb ft of torque, but it still doesn’t hurt to double check.

    I replaced the front right axle on my 1982 Volkswagon Rabbit diesel after I hit some road trash in Abilene one night. 320 ftlbs of torque per the manual. I used my hydraulic lift bar (5 ft long !) as a breaker bar for the 35 mm axle nut. I never had any more trouble after I replaced the entire axle, the bent one was breaking CV joints.

    We used to use 20 lb sledges and knocking wrenches to loosen and tighten the 3 inch and 4 inch bolts on the steam turbines. Now swinging that sledge for 10 minutes will tire you out.

  78. nick flandrey says:

    My tire guy gave me a cheater pipe when I complained that his guys put the nuts on too tight. “Don’t stand on it, you’ll hurt yourself”.

    n

  79. Ken Mitchell says:

    Hmm. Maybe I should cancel my 38 kW home generator order and buy a new F-150 Hybrid instead.

    The price difference between a conventional F-150 and the hybrid with that power package is about $35K. I’d be surprised if you couldn’t buy TWO big generators for that price.

Comments are closed.