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A reminder to the reader this is not a political blog, but commentary on human behavior. I am not for or against any political party. Liberalism is not a political party, but a social cancer. It is wrong to steal money and it is just as wrong to elect people to steal it for you. One more thing, never argue with a man who buys his printer ink by the barrel.

April 25, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 25, 2025, and nobody noticed.
Five years ago today: April 25, 2021, playing with boxes.
Nine years ago today: April 25, 2017, windmill tech.
Random years ago today: April 25, 2004, forgotten except for blog.

           Who remembers these things? The 276-159B. They are a circuit board designed to connect pins to a generic size integrated circuit. The correct term for these blanks is “unpopulated”. This is my last one, purchased for 65 cents. You wind up gong through these by the dozen. I’m not antsy that they now sell on eBay for $7 each, but that DC claims inflation is 8%. There is a Radio Shack web site, but it retails only consumer junk, no actual electronic or radio components.

           They were a mature design, great for experimentation but also rugged enough for use if done right. I suspect they are no longer manufactured, due to on-line simulators. I lived through this transition at the phone company, from people who knew their stuff to people who could run the simulators. The difference was as usual—standard people could only fix standard problems.

           I learned my lithium charger is good for 8 zaps and then goes flat without warning on the 9th. Here’s the video of the dreadfully slow overnight recharge.That means at noon today I’m still sitting at home waiting for a recharge, as I have only a new charger, not a booster. PPP, y’know. This convinces me to get the new battery for the Hundy, meanwhile I’m on social media, where they have this contest to name this all-Black teen band. Here’s my favorites.

All Is In Chains
Metaligga
Rage Against Child Support
Black-182
My Criminal Romance
30 Seconds to Jail
Audioslave
Guns & Rosa Parks
Linkin Dark
Hood Charlotte
Bowling for Crack
3 Hoods Down
Theftones
Smashing Watermelons
Matchbox 20 to Life

           Here’s the prize photo of the week, the squirrel has learned he can watch my work desk through the picture window when the Sun is just right. The curtains have to be open, yet what a clever fellow. Yes, that is the so-called squirrel-proof feeder that is supposed to close from the animal’s body weight.

           Time to check the budget. That is how they work, checking keeps you on course. You won’t like it I said what I think of grocery prices. It’s gasoline that hurts, the price is still nearly $4 per gallon—and I had to fill the Hyundai. That vehicle will be getting some attention, since it was a chore to get it ready for the current situation, that is, you don’t just waltz over and turn the key.
           A new personality is possible on board, the guy who can design 3D items. His nickname is Mason, easy to remember. He’s a worker, we’ll find out more as the printer here needs to be set up, which means clearing a space, which means fixing a rood, and generally work for somebody under 30. Which I think he is. I walked through the shed area, it would need new roofing and I could not find some of my tools.
           That means nothing, as the tools will be in fancy boxes and I just don’t know where the boxes are. Time and energy, if he supplies that, we’ll soon know at least something about the workings. It’s like my navigation charts, nothing replaces hand-on experience.

Picture of the day.
Roman arch stone bridge.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Six hours later, my KIA is still in the parking lot. I decided on the new Hy batter, that was $162. Since I have only a charger, not a booster, I waiting for 50% juice and this took us up to afternoon rain time. It was not easy moving and lifting these batteries. Happily this was possible without any chest strain, but neither was there any last time. I was extra careful. This time I took cutting tools in case that last bolt cannot be budged or sawn. My operating speed is still maybe 25% so lugging the battery trade-in and getting help loading the cart, that took most of an hour. The extra yellow wire visible is the ignition switch bypass. Lot’s of bypass going on around here.

           Out in the yard, I had to lift the new battery high enough to clear the motor bay. It’s done, but call it another half hour. I had to remove the old unit with its clamps and wiring, all the time dreaming of home and a cup of coffee. By coincidence, on FM 96.7 there was a show about how people now fear auto repairs. They would rather wait until the car stops than go in regularly. True, cars have gotten more complicated, but rip-off mechanics are to blame for a lot of their reputation.

           The rain finally stopped but that leaves the ground too soggy for work. I hung another sign but the van is way over in the corner of a huge empty lot and bothering nobody. I ducked into the grocery and emerged $60 lighter and dog tired. Kudos, I did not forget the fly strips this time. Yes, those gooey ribbons you pull down from a tack. It looks off when they get full but chemical deterrents are not allowed in the kitchen. The glue does a wonderful job, it’s a surprise they have not stopped making them.
           To keep records accurate, I think after you turn 40, it gets 2% harder to lie down and get up again. Freel free to test this on your own time. To work on the KIA, I have to get up and down ten or fifteen times—and I’ve been over there three trips already. This would give me sore muscles any time. So far, I’m lucky, though we shall see tomorrow morning. I saw under the chassis the KIA does have a couple of metal loops plainly meant for some kind of towing. Did I just call it the "Hundy"?
           After the battery and that alternator in January, there is $4 left in the vehicle repair budget until beginning of next month. If I had the gumption, I’d go spend it on a beer at Kooters.

ADDENDUM

           If you see the on-line term DFOXZAT, I made it up right here. Finally, after a quarter of a year, the leg wound has healed enough to be level. When I was a kid, I’d heard about war vets that had wounds which never healed, but could not imagine such a thing. The spot on my leg is very easy to monitor and I see there are two sites of concern. One is the incision where they took out the vein. That is the one finally healing over. The second was some sort of puncture that is draining lymph. It shows no sign of ever going away. Why only one leg? I don’ t know.
           And what is with these White House “correspondent’s” dinners? Why can’t the MSM get their fake news from CNN like everybody else? Nothing spells media people like the reporters who started stealing champagne bottles as gunfire erupted. And have you seen the nog riots in South Africa? Seems they don’t like the illegal alien migrants from Nigeria, and want them deported. Deja-vu?

Last Laugh

April 24, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 24, 2025, analemmatic.
Five years ago today: April 24, 2021, dragons & superstitions.
Nine years ago today: April 24, 2017, 67 miles long.
Random years ago today: April 24, 2009, I lived in Inuvik.

           End of the first quarter, the 13th week of recovery. Lots of hope and disappointment, and now a broken van. Hey, I’m the one who drives used vehicles and calls these breakdowns an adventure. We know from experience the KIA transmission is a “closed” unit, claimed to last a lifetime—of the transmission, not the whole automobile. In that sense, toilet paper can vouch the same.

           A big breakfast, not knowing what this day will bring. I may need to hunt up a second driver, or hit the neighbor for a lift, as that church parking lot is closer to two miles away. Twice what I estimated and well beyond walking distance. First, we go on-line for some more information, crappy as that may be. Aha, there are other videos other than official KIA that show a fill plug directly on the transmission sump pan. Hmmm, how to get at it? And it is behind a plastic housing that runs the whole width of the vehicle.
           Now is the time to make an extra coffee and think things through. Here are, in any order, some questions I asked and a sampling of my answers.

Why won’t the van move? Because there appears to be no transmission fluid.
Do I need the KIA dealership? Not right now, I just need the van back here.
Are there any pressing commitments? Nope, just the checkup in Miami.
Will the “Hy” make it to Miami? Easily, it’s only 400 miles and it would make Tennessee.
How important is the correct fluid? For a couple hundred miles, probably no difference.
Is there any fluid around here? Yes, I just have to dig it out.
How long could I use the Hy? Months or more, but not a good idea.
What does the Hy need for now? A decent battery.
If I don’t tow the KIA, how much money do I have on me? $136.

           Driving back to the church, I assessed the situation in bright daylight. That shroud has to come off, around a dozen plastic screws. I can see the fluid fill plug and it appears to be undamaged, however the nut is at least an inch, meaning I have to dig out my big monkey wrench that has not been touched in years. This activity will place me right in the hottest part of the day, probably 90°F. Last week I wisely picked up an extra carton of ginger ale and it will be ice cold about the same time.
           That is the fill plug, I cannot see or find the drain plug. By the pattern of leak, I suspect something in the general area it must be located. The encouraging news is that is at the opposite end of the machinery from where the axle problem was last year. Let’s get back home while I make some plans to avoid spending a thousand bucks over this, or JZ would be laughing.
           To keep myself clear on the plan, I want to see if filling the transmission plan with generic brand [fluid] will get me home. I will not look for the presumed leak at this time, as I know it is slow enough to drive a few miles.

Picture of the day.
Hawkeye Valley, N. Dakota.
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           Okay, it is 2:00PM and at least not humid, in fact this township has been declared the middle of a drought. That fill plug is less than 3 inches above the pan bottom, meaning they expect to use a pump to get any fluid through there. Instead, I rigged up this gizmo from surplus hoses, which I cleaned by using a dowel to push through a wad of hospital gauze, which I also have in surplus. That’s my kitchen funnel and the hose is flexible enough, iin theory), to feed down past the battery bracket and into the fill hole, again, guesswork. Either way, the equipment gets transported in a super-handy wooden crate, which you can admire here.

           Two hours later, we are back here. I got most of the shroud off. It was held by those nylon screws, which had been removed once already so many were stripped. I also found somebody’s socket fell in there. The, the last screw had both the threads and the head stripped. The plastic is too tough to kick out of the way. After wrestling with it, I came back for some cutting tools. I won’t get this before dark. Yet, for what it took today so far, I’m most happy with the amount of work.

           This would be at the low end [of a day’s work around here], yet [it is] at least what I’d get done on a lazy day. As the saying goes, you will die on an ordinary day with many unfinished projects, and the next day the world just carries on. The shroud is covered in what looks like fairly fresh transmission oil. My hopes are up that we are dealing only with some kind of slow leak. Nothing looks damaged. I’m trying to locate that drain bolt—it may not have been tightened, that would be the best-case scenario here.
           Two hours later, 6:00PM, I called it quits. That last bolt cannot be removed by a wrench. It’s cut either the plastic or the bolt and I don’t have the right equipment along. However, the church lot is mostly empty except for a construction crew working on an annex. So my van blends right in. Tomorrow it is, I’ll take the sawzall with a metal-cutting blade, and the Yeti. I’ll probably fix the problem no matter what, you do know that starting in 2027, your new car will record your face.

           Let’s do the news and more coffee. A big game hunter got trampled by a herd of elephants. This repair has me driving through parts of town first time in years. That property over on Parker, the one I loved but could not possibly afford? You should see it now. Totally restored, including the brickwork. Probably a half-million in materials and it looks it. Iran says its supreme leader, the Ayatollah, is in hiding because of occult threats. The goblins, maybe? What is with all the science people suddenly dying and suiciding? Nothing funny going on, today was a NASA engineer in a Tesla, again, beyond recognition.
           Pressure mounts to ban VPNs, which spells the end of the Internet as we knew it. That turns it into just another government-regulated media. It says here GenX women expect to find mates who are 25% more attractive and successful than they are. (I called it 25 years ago as “dating clubs”.) In the latest climate change claim, the oceans are getting “darker”. Bank of America sees silver topping $300 next year. The US has reinstated the firing squad for certain Federal offenses. I never knew it had been stopped.

           Next, I read several accounts of successful inventors. Once again I was jolted by the preponderance of astonishing good luck in their stories. They seem to meet people who believe in their inventions, where I have never met much other than naysayers. Yes, I get encouragement, but this others, they seem to meet engineers, scientists, and factory owners riding in the same rail cars. Kalashnikov, the AK-47 guy, gets thrown in detention and still manages to meet higher-ups at the design bureau.

ADDENDUM
           Feeling untired, I studied. For the nth time, I went over the flip-flop, a circuit that has intrigued me for years. It’s simple and easy to understand, but I’ve never built one that works. It is simply a wiring configuration that allows electricity to “remember” if it was last turned off or on. There’s more to it, sure, such as the need for separate on and off switches, but super-kudos to the people who saw this and realized the potential.
           I was thrown for years on the theory, but I know the gates worked. What stalled me was lazy teachers. They showed the two diagrams of the before and after states. They did not explain there is a third state. Electricity is fast, but it is not instant. For a tiny moment, there is a change of current, and this alters the inputs in a memory circuit. And it fascinates me to see this happen. This, however, has meant I’ve not really studied other types of latches. (Latch simply means once an output is set, turning the input off and on does nothing. You need a separate signal to unlatch.)
           With one exception. I have looked at registers, and one byte of memory is, the way I visualize it, a single 8-bit register. Thus, I’ve at least “read” the logic diagrams of the input for a register. It is called a D-Latch, I suppose D for data. It’s a series of gates that make sure whatever is input is output without any hysteresis, but that is a separate topic. I have never put the two together in my head. I think I can now. It’s my heart getting old, not my brain.
           And I have a small box of these registers somewhere, because I once hooked so many together they slowed down enough to see each digit. I know I must have recorded it, but where? When? What file name?

Last Laugh

April 23, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 23, 2025, Miami & back.
Five years ago today: April 23, 2021, on foreign aid.
Nine years ago today: April 23, 2017, spotted hands.
Random years ago today: April 23, 2014, famous fries.

           If you are reading this, I’m probably in Miami. A cancel at 2:00PM and I’m on the road by now. Only to get eight miles. The KIA began making a noise near the same engine location as that broken axle last year. It would move in low gear so I drove it as far home as possible, then bummed a ride. See, without the Hyundai, I’ve be up the creek. One problem, that unit has a flat and my cheap ass Michelin compressor is a piece of junk. It cuts off at 12.5 psi. So I borrowed the neighbors and it does the same. Is this some new OSHA brain-fart.

           Cancel the appointment, and both visits, and the pressure washer, and a week’s planning. Hello, Florida. Now, I cannot tow the KIA with my existing rig. Let’s see how far we get today. The backup vehicle still has a dead battery and the starter is under the hood, but its already paid for itself. And my phone is again balking at voice-to-text, telling me I don’t have permission. Where do these GenX even?

           Yep, I’m stuck, but not as stuck as if I didn’t have a second vehicle. I stopped at Boost to discover Jake is gone and the new guy knows less about smart phones than I do. No, I cannot be sent off with the lame explanation that it’s an update. He kept trying to convince me the recording attachment was the same, I had a time convincing the guy I wanted my messages private, not played back aloud. He was unable to grasp this. Voice-to-text icon is still present and the flash message means Google has disable something locally.

           I’m now $150 lighter and still need a battery for the Hyundai, though I may just keep using the lithium booster. This is your prompt that having another vehicle is only a partial solution, both must be equipped to troubleshoot the other and my second portable compressor gave out just before my operation. Both my good compressor and storage tank are in the other unit. I bought a replacement. Up from $40 to $70 as they try to tell us inflation is only 8%.
           Howie has a matching set of Bauer tools, it’s Harbor Freight’s cheaper brand. The cigarette lighter plugs have been disappointing. Howie’s able to fill tractor tires with his hand-hel, which uses a rechargeable battery. After seeing that, I spent the money on the tool, I’ll have to wait until May for the battery and charger. These items are expensive but my auto repair budget is well more that covering it. Kind of the worst possible timing but hey, it’s Florida.
           The next photo is the new McGraw “hot dog”, the best small compressor I’ve ever had. You may recognize this Harbor Freight style from Tennessee. A pity to tie up cash in something that gets used so little but the expense of getting any help makes this the best alternative. Using the other tank for storage saves money as well.

           It is true, the SPLC anti-right group has been caught shunting money to organizations like the KKK and Patriot Front. They claim it was to spy but even so, transferring money under false names is felony. No, you can’t do it, even the FBI needs special permission. As one source put it, this is what happens to Democrat anti-fascist funding when demand exceeds supply.

Picture of the day.
Indonesian sulfur mine.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           After that $1,000 hit from KIA over the alternator, I called the towing guys who bought the Town & Country. They say yes, if I can get the van to my driveway I’ll try, it was moving in low gear, indicating it stopped due to overheating. I’ll throw my bicycle in the other van and see if I can get it any closer to here. This is a PPP (the poor people problem) I’ve mentioned, how the system knows just when to gouge you. It is mid-afternoon and I am also overheated. Time for a siesta and see if the necessary work an happen with the sun lower in the sky. If it moves, I can have it here in ten minutes.

           Okay, the remainder of the day is all poor people problems, so I tell you what happened and you see if you can count them. I say 33 to 35 PPP. Okay, I limp onto a side street two miles from here, the motor runs fine but no gears and a steam under the hood. A retired cop gives me a ride home to find my second vehicle has a flat—but I find and use one of those spray can inflators. That gets the bank, where we are below all danger balances.
           From there I get back to the KIA and discover transmission fluid on the pavement. While cool, I start up and pull it around the corner to a church parking lot. I prop a sign on the dash and walk back to douse the fluid stains on the pavement with oven cleaner. But I cannot find the transmission fluid spout. Remember, the Hyundai still needs a boost and that lithium does not stay charged as long as they say. It is already lugging, so I leave the motor running and that’s a quarter tank of wasted gas. What is your count so far?
           I got the new compressor but had to get the store to lift it into the van. I have the distinct suspicion they gave me a return. I had to keep it, so add another PPP. And the portable compressor, it turns out, can and will tax your battery if you leave it plugged in. I sopped up some of the fluid on the pavement, and it is red, not the standard KIA green. What am I dealing with here?

           Turns out it is one of those sealed transmissions that requires a shop change. Five quarts at $36 per quart plus labor. The spout is hidden in a recess under the battery. It is an aluminum plug is a steel casing, designed to be tamper-evident. I’ll drive to the shop tomorrow, I know this is a lot of chasing around, because although I have the emergency gear, my place is not designed for them. It took twenty minutes to find my tire inflator nozzle mixed in with my shop compressor gear.
           Agt. M was waiting, he did not get my text. So I once again dropped every menu on my phone until I found “Force Google Stop”. It said all permissions were granted but Google lies. The microphone does not even show on the menu. I persisted and success. The Boost mobile people also lie, I got it working.
           By how it is after dark and I’m pooped. I had to load the bicycle into the van just in case one or the other conked out. Then boys, I am ready for a beer. The old club was beckoning and I hobbled in to find that guy whose number I lot, the one who can 3D design. I had him pull his phone records and I never got even one of his texts. I said try it now and we have contact.

           I got out to the parking lot and both my battery and booster are dead. The 3D guy drives a rebuild Mustang, so we jump-started. He thinks I’m a real “McGyver” or some TV character because I know about the starters and old-school wiring. But I’m too zonked so I got home to find those three Yueng-lings I was saving for a burn barrel, but thank you, I am helping myself now. It’s a good-day-of-work tiredness, which has been a while, and I like it. I’d also swung past the pallet place, there are none and no sign of Agt. R who lives right around that corner.

ADDENDUM
           They have renewed two of my after-anesthetic pills. The symptoms have long since disappeared. Both are for stomach balance which, to me, is open admission they know that stuff is wicked. The numbness in my left upper leg is not the least concern to them. It is not so much getting better as I am getting used to it. Occasional sharp pains as it tries to reset. And the long-term pills from 2005 (statin, diuretic, thinner, cholesterol) now must be taken on fleek or my blood pressure reading soars.

Last Laugh

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April 22, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 22, 2025, $3 a gallon.
Five years ago today: April 22, 2021, owner-operator.
Nine years ago today: April 22, 2017, remember the candle holders?
Random years ago today: April 22, 2018, never a believer.

           What’s this, a top UFO scientist commits suicide and then calls 911? It’s not the first time the first time the Clinton people have gotten that one backwards. That could be today’s headline, or I could present today’s nothingness as a novelty. I fed the birds at dawn and fell back for a snooze that lasted another seven hours. I’ll try to salvage something. Stick around, I suppose I could at least work on my latest box design. Hey, that does not bore me and it’s my workshed, kids.

           Reading is a daily habit and I got some of that in. I talked with the Thrift store guy last day and he says they often get too many radios in. It is really combination decks and here is where that fat book I bought comes into play. It contains many diagrams of the circuitry. I’ve noticed something. The diagram reveal that although the resulting overall design may be less efficient, the components are kept together in groups.
           Also, there is a principle to keep the leads (wires) as short as possible. It could mean items like the amplifier or rectifiers are grouped. I intend to find out. And, moments ago, I think we may have another generation of red cardinals. I’ve lost track but they have plainly found this locality to be a long-term habitat.

           More reading, and in this case an instruction page with notes in the margin I have been referring to it for sixteen years. It finally begins to melt, instead of just flipping there to get the directions, I grasp it. Proof again of my theorem that people who write these manuals themselves don’t really know what is going on. There is also a tendency to think themselves clever at the wrong times, like the author who uses different words for the same things. Threw me off for years, calling the AP (assumed point) on one page and then the benchmark on the next.
           I would very much like to find my blank navigation charts to practice some LOPs. When I tore up the kitchen floor a year ago, I piled a lot of gear up on the old sofa. That is where it sits today. It’s there, but sleeping sixteen hours is not helping me dig it out. Would you listen to those happy birds!

           To wake up, yes I was groggy, I read some of the latest Arduino code. I don’t like it. Sure enough, it follows the old “C-code” garden path, instead of fixing what’s wrong, they start to plaster over the bad spots. In C-code, it is called “CSS” (short for cascading style sheets) and in Arduino code, they resort to what they call libraries. Segments of code that are written by strangers, often unqualified, that are blindly imported to do important things like operate sensors or servo motors. It means suddenly new and unfamiliar commands appear. What is “elif”?
           I see scary things, like how the libraries are not just imported, but some are now installed. This changes the operating system of your computer and should be used with extreme caution. And in the news, Noah’s Ark has been discovered for the 600th time. This one for sure.

Picture of the day.
German quiz show hosts.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           I can’t make it more interesting than it is, but I can report a busy afternoon. With no immediate consequences, I worked at my normal pace until past 6:00PM. Here is a view of my output, but not all of it. At first it looks like Box City, but you have seen some of these before. Today, I built only the three units, two on the left side of the stove. What? Why the stove? Because it has the best light in my unfinished kitchen, Chumley. Two of the boxes have knobs.

           These are gifts, the third box has a defect and will be the blank for cloth lining. This design is super easy and benefits from existing tooling. I could probably make a profit selling these for $6 each. To test the utility, I’ll see if JZ can use them for his spices, though that is his decision. The dude is a great “control” group by himself because he employs only the practical.

           The new design is showing, with five boxes already. They resemble earlier work but these are far more streamlined. You may also notice the two spice boxes (with the knobs) look a bit like a matching set. Darker wood, which I will account for. The picket wood is quite inconsistent, meaning an obvious match like these is a rare event. What’s happened is I’ve learned to watch for this effect. During shipping, the outside layer of pickets can get wet and weathered.
           Other buyers will sift through these boards. But I go through and spot the good ones that are straight and have few knots, hang on let me go get you a better shot. Here we go, the two on top, the bottom unit is not the same hue. I also run these lightly over the belt sander since the raw wood often sheds sawdust.

           Now’s a good time to mention these boxes are not just rattled off. They are the result of experience, mostly dozens of small rules applied during construction. The joints are tight because any cups in the wood are facing outward, where they are easier to clamp. The knobs are not centered vertically because that makes laser labels easier to zap, (these boxes have no labels). And so on, the boxes are very sturdy.

           The box lid I thought of filling with epoxy or similar got put on hold the instant I saw the $225 price tag on the gallon. Odd by this time somebody hasn’t come up with a far cheaper, but the lowest price I saw was $60 for a half-gallon kit. I wish my big can of water putty had not got wet, I would have tried that. By dark, I was not the least tired and considered dropping by the old club. Then decided to stay here, with coffee and toast. And my Egyptian raspberry jam, my thinking is one good day is no longer a sign of anything. This operation means a change of lifestyle sooner or later. Ease into it, they say.
           Later we have news that a court has overturned the vote in Virginia. Like many people, I don’t follow how courts can bat stuff around—but this is one sure sign that the ballot fraudsters are not going to have an easy go of things come the midterms. Even a non-player like me can sense this time is different. My understanding is the Democrats tried to “redistrict” voting boundaries give themselves majorities. I still contend that Trump is holding back, knowing his opposition are lethargic at reacting to sudden moves. News today is that he has enforced issuing rebuild permits to the people burned out in the California fires.

ADDENDUM
           That’s interesting. The SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center), the outfit that tracks and reports on “facist groups”, has been caught funding some as fakes.to justify getting government grants. The rumor is they spent the money to have their agents infiltrate the organizations, but that creates a problem. Take the Patriot Front. For all the right-wing accusations by the SPLC, there is not a single incident that the Patriot Front is not exactly who they say they are. None.

           I stayed up to study the new smart servos. Regular servos are controlled by PWM, one of my pet study topics. I have a box of them somewhere, anyway, they do not provide any feedback of their own operation. If the PWM signal is lost, the servo returns to zero (I think). The smart servo must therefore have some sort of microcontroller of its own, allowing them to be connected in series. I’d like to see that. It says here the servos are controlled by a UART signal, a system that uses unique addresses to control devices so fast you think they are all operating at once. It says here the motors are less than $10 each—but does that include the now-necessary control mechanism? Or is that relying on an honest price quote from a millennial?

Last Laugh

April 21, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 21, 2025, a generic day.
Five years ago today: April 21, 2021, chips, BitChute, more “studies”.
Nine years ago today: April 21, 2017, permission to unplug.
Random years ago today: April 21, 2007, rainbow eucalyptus.

           Today we stick our head under the house. Who’s with me? Overnight, we heard something fall over. Nobody claims this cabin is critter-proof, but they are limited in size to about a house cat. But not cats, who are so overfed by the neighbor they can’t be bothered. I can’t find what fell but the clunk says investigate, I was [recently] away long enough for something to build a nest. And they’ll start Gangnam style under the floorboards if you let them. I’ve had kitchen scourers disappear because of the tiny food scrapings in the wire.

           Here is a yard weed that actually grew in my yard and looks okay. We are now returned from our under-joist expedition and found nothing. The sound “weighed” about a half-pound so it’s gone. The search sapped me so tired, I’m going back to sleep. This was not in my master plan. I won’t leave you with nothing this morning, instead, take a look at this box.

           Normally, I shy away from building boxes this large now. This one houses my battery gear and you can see how the wood has shrunk, leaving gaps that would leak badly if I did not take care. This, I would like to repair and find very few resources. I often look to the ever-more-rare videos on non-antiques furniture restoral. The outside dimensions have stayed square, so I hope to find some way to maybe fill the cracks. That is something I’ve never done. I’m more interested in technique and material than looks. Will this lead to me finally setting up my jointer the right way?

           Two items got me off to a good start. I got downtown and back in an hour with groceriers and solved the midnight thunk mystery. Nothing under the house and nothing wrong in the kitchen, so today’s big deal was—you’ll never guess this—butter. You know the kitchen floor is not fixed, so it can wobble a bit. This time a pound of butter fell off the door rack inside the freezer. And the traffic downtown was a mess, is there another rodeo? I picked up some fence pickets as well, today was my biggest grocery shop in years. See, we are not lacking for rousing excitement at all, not around here.
           I got the call, there is a cancellation on Friday, so I’m in, otherwise I’ve told you it can take weeks for an appointment. They say there is nothing at Biscayne Park. If I get to Snapper Creek, I intend to see for myself. Nothing there to see is motive enough for me, but this is Florida, where many denizens are the same grade of peasant as my family. They can do nothing for decades until that one time you count on them to do nothing. It’s a peasant thing.

           Not so pleasant is French drone surveillance of farmers. Vaccinated cattle have higher body temperatures, the government is using sensors to detect unvaxed herds and going after the ranches. The Virginia Democrats were losing a rural redistricting issue until once again at the last moment they found 64,000 votes. Just enough to win, again.

Picture of the day.
Robot rail cars, Australia.
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           Oh no, not another box. Yes,folks, it is the fast box. I’ve been meaning to and this is the result. It is a combination of two disciplines. One is the Golden Ratio, most of you will recognize that by now. This is a half-size unit, the second factor is five cuts. The box uses the dimensions the lumber comes in. You’d think that would be the first box to build, but it is not that easy, since you have to already know boxes to make that work right away. And these did. They are the same box, one with a lid, the other without.

           These are butt-end joints, many a test shows they are stronger that fancier cuts. These are utility grade for storage and gifts. Each of these is made from a single fence picket. The box with the lid has not been cut and tested but hinges or fitting lids is not my focus right now. These are for spice jars and a place to keep batteries which get used around here by the score. These boxes can be jazzed up by the addition of a drawer pull as a knob. This batch had almost no knots so I plan to build four more. Complete design and build on each box was 14 minutes, the cost less than 95 cents each. hese are the narrower “4-1/2” pickets, so the box interior is that dimension. I wonder if there is a standard size flower pot that fits inside, just a thought.
           These boxes are so easy to build, I may use some of them as guinea pigs for other treatment. Like how to line the boxes with felt, or how to make a lit that nests. The field is wide open for ideas.

           We watched another Festus movie and toured the neighbor’s yard. One of those mango trees featured here a couple months ago was killed by that frost. He had it cut back to just the limbs and, behold, today we saw some tiny twigs beginning to sprout. Those two mango trees are all that’s left of the mini-orchard on the properties when he bought all three lots. Here is another view of the boxes to show more of the fit and what I’m looking at as far as any further labor.
           Meanwhile, let’s see if there is any science news that piques my curiosity or if Trump has upset even more people. The Internet, as we know it, is fast being taken over by censorship and ulterior control. Funny how few seem even aware. Various state elections signal there will again be huge dead voter turnout in the midterms.

ADDENDUM
           Navigation. Neat. I can now go directly to the correct lookup tables. Navigation from memory, I no longer have to sketch out the triangles. This is the second-final step to drawing an LOP, or line of position, on a sailing chart. My birdfeeder was still full after four days now, Maybe there is hope? Also, I posted a meme saying the squirrels were launching raids on my feeder from the neighbor’s trees amid “absurd claims my property was their ancestral rodentland”. And got 36 dislikes. Some people!

Last Laugh

April 20, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 20, 2025, having a sip.
Five years ago today: April 20, 2021, remember Frankspeech?
Nine years ago today: April 20, 2017, ingenious.
Random years ago today: April 20, 2008, never seen the dust.

           We know what April showers bring. In Florida, it’s appreciative birdies. This view caught the morning sun just right, you can see besides the birdbath, there is a spray to emulate a natural waterfall. You can’t leave it on all the time or it attracts larger birds.

           You’d think it was easy to find lab supplies in Florida. It must be a racket the way they’ve got the market closed up. Minimum blank slide order in Winter Haven, $324. And try to find glass covers. You cannot, by ordinary means, filter out LabCor, they can erase the “minus sign” from your search criteria. No, I don’t want to talk to a rep in El Paso. I want to know if you have a used microtome in stock that I can buy today. It’s Monday and my coffee maker packed it in.
           A perfect 78°F morning, I got the van ready for the inevitable call to Miami. The small “back-up” battery of last trip did not work out, I’ve got the two newly-located units on the charger. It’s now mid-morning and you’ll get lots of photos today. Another early start got the pressure sprayer loaded up and my patience worn thin scraping resin residue off the windshield repair, see addendum. I’m in the yard again, finding all manner of neat things I’ve forgotten over the years.

           Here is a typical battery recharge setup, but two of the units are likely beyond help. The charger has that new-fangled “recondition” setting but it only works when there is some residual charge. The two small batteries have been sitting since 2022. They are sealed. I’ll leave the charger on a few hours to see if they kickstart. This morning was all about small chores like this, I’ve reached a type of plateau.

           Except for a tightness across the chest muscles (not my heart), the rest of me seems to have stabilized, a welcome consistent level all day long. I have a calendar from the hospital that shows January 2027 as the time line for full recover. Did you know, that is also the date by which all cell phones sold in Europe must use the same, improved, user-replaceable battery.
           On-line age filters are usually hacked within 120 seconds of being deployed. The first laws against “surveillance pricing” block only food retailers and delivery outfits. Real estate agents have been doing this for fifty years, the old “leave your name and number” scam, where the price depends on your credit score. No, I don’t feel sorry for stupid people, who may suddenly after all have something to hide, it would seem. BWAAAA-ha-ha-ha-ha . . . . . . . . .
           Earth.com reports a plant-based serum that grows hair. Unfortunately, the hair is green and some folks don’t like the smell of coconuts. Any my taste cells are still wonky. They wear out after less than six or seven bites, up from three or four. The solution is to haul out my old casserole cookbook.

Picture of the day.
Hijacked South African building.
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           Here is a kitchen shelf I slapped together. That is the uninsulated back wall I’ve been getting to for years, and now must put a shelf in the way because, fact is, it may wind up right there for a long time. I’m saying I have no idea how long this could wind up being temporary. The kitchen floor has been a year. So you know I wasn’t snoozing in the shed, I also made this small glue box. See picture around here somewhere, note the pre-laser lettering, GLUE. Kind of a nice touch. These bottles usually get 2/3 empty before going bad, this box keeps them easy to drain because the shape can hold them upside down. It’s a pity this town has so few parties I can devote paragraphs to glue bottles.

           Then again, don’t blame the wrong people for dull times. It wasn’t senior citizens who shut the County Fair down until suppertime. The van is ready for another trip and we have this month’s $60 travel budget, so think of something. The museum cost only a $10 donation and we feast like kings. I returned via Punta Gorda, I’m saying with the right attitude, we could make this trip into mini-adventure, what say you?
           Think about it. Generally the van is ready for two days on the road, so three is nothing if just over to Miami. There has to be something to do more rousing than glue bottles, but hey, I tried to get JZ to play drums twenty years ago. Did you know I can play a forty minute set with just bass and drums? The trick is finding a drummer who can hold it together.

           I required a short siesta, taking half the time to read. One issue I followed is the “right to repair” battle, tractors so packed with software that turning a wrench voids the warranty. Then I see this article about a Canadian company building new units from refurbished Cummins diesel motors. Brilliant, even I have seen those units run forever.
           Taking another look at my south facing roof, I’m again lured by the huge drop in solar panel and installation costs since 2020. I wrote a six-page letter on the topic, centered on the latest “plug-in” style, a.k.a “balcony power”. I’ve not kept up but I know enough that 4/5ths of the new power generated each year is now solar--partially because nobody is building new conventional plants outside of China. The new panels are portable but I’m not planning on moving. They plug into your existing home wiring but cannot be used in a blackout. (Feeding power back into the grid could electrocute repairmen.)
           Where I am most interested is I knew a few years ago that these panels required a microcontroller to interconnect with home wiring—and until I studied microcontrollers personally, I would have been leery of such voltages. Now, I’m comfortable with them, but still suspicious, preferring to let others find out what could go wrong.

           Last for now, a boost to my brain cells, I got up this morning and was able to easily figure the coordinates for some Sight Reduction navigation plots. Mentally flipping the triangle over, then back again once I get both moveable points (the North Pole does not move). Mind you, I can only do this in the northern hemisphere, so you and your yacht in the south seas will have to wait.
           No, I don’t play any Pink Floyd bass lines. They are great, but they came into prominence right at the poorest, brokest, most devastating era of my life. I have picked the riff to “Money”, but found the rest of their material too over-orchestrated for my tastes. It was a musical dead time for me and by the time I picked up the bass again, I had met the Reb and country music was beginning to throw me challenges. Country bass can be simple, but getting the right sound isn’t. Pink Floyd was just never in my repertoire.

ADDENDUM
           I built model airplanes up until maybe ten years old. I did not research and paint them, I just liked building. But only WWII planes, I did not care for later jets or big bombers. One I never cared for was the B29 Superfortress. And today I found a documentary that explained why in terms I never thought of. The thing was a beast, killing more crew than the enemy. It was ordered off the drawing board and the flight manual was written by those who escaped crashes. I was just a kid, but knew the plane was a loser simply from all the hype.

           Now I find out the plane was far worse than all that. The engines, which liked to catch fire, were mounted in magnesium housings, which likes to burn. There were innovations, like pressurized crew cabins, computer controlled turrets (analog), and ground-mapping radar. These would be fine, if this was a prototype. It was not, it was taken almost directly into combat. I laughed at the Chinese bases where the supplies had to be flown over the Himalayas. I learned today it took six flights to ferry enough material to fly one bombing mission.
           I knew as little as most Americans where the island airfields were built, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. Fact is, I learned more about them from studying navigation some sixty years later.

Last Laugh

April 19, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 19, 2025, old RAM chips.
Five years ago today: April 19, 2021, full K-cup deployment.
Nine years ago today: April 19, 2017, gimme 5 mouse clicks . . .
Random years ago today: April 19, 2010, Canan, Arduino, & early Trump.

           Read today’s addendum to know why I’m happy. Not energetic, in fact, I’ll make a pistachio pie and call it a morning. I truly don’t know if I can make today worth a thing. I could work some boxes, which compares well with what the rest of “over 40” central Florida does for excitement. The birdfeeder was empty this morning, so up goes the game camera—but the birdies could really just have been that hungry. Let’s get outside since the only other action here is I have some cherry jello setting up in the fridge.

           Fooled even myself —I got lots done, plenty of good exercise and it is just noon. The neighbor started a motor at 8:59AM, so I fired up my air compressor. Before I knew it, there I was busy as ever without even thinking of therapy limitations. There was lots of light work, one aspect of carpentering is you accumulate scraps. I avoid some clutter by trimming everything down to the same size and burning the rest. Yep, my mess is organized.
           Here is something you’ve never seen, [which is] a bit of usual for this blog. It is a saw pony graveyard. These are relics from the early days when I was seeking something to sell. This was designed in Tennessee with some built here to test modifications. The lumber was untreated, so this is the result of a few years in the Florida weather. The legs rot away from ground contact, but are easily replaced to make handy work benches that last long enough. These units were sturdy enough so they’ll get painted.

           I filled the birdfeeder, cleared some space, and tidied up, committing to no chore that could last more than a few minutes. But, hallelujah, I did not need any breaks. Did not even think of it. That’s a quantum leap, boys. Here’s a view of that Tennessee bench that never did get repaired. I am salvaging the spindles from the old chair back. They are all the same size and tapered, so just maybe I can repurpose them as caddy handles.
           Shortly later, here is one of the scrap wood caddy handles in place. Works fine for around here. These are made using as much standard cuts and sizes but are a different concept. The bad lumber is evident, the build requires staples, brads, and screws, something I will try to get away from. The brads are a rare (around here) 2-inch length, needed to pierce the lumber around the handle bracket and lock the handle in place. There is no glue, the brackets must be screwed on, as the largest brad that won’t poke through can be yanked apart. Back in the ‘50s. this was called “empirical design”.

           It’s sadly a forgotten trade secret, to build something that works and lasts. Today, everything has all the strength and endurance cut away right from the design stage. The last three generations of engineers would not know any other way. Finally, there is a short video on a question I’ve asked for years. How do all these mall shops stay open when nobody is ever seen buying anything? My conclusion is they are a front for something.

           Taking a bit of inventory, I have not brought in any new pallets in a while. The supply has dried up, which compounds itself since that causes me not to go check as often. I’ve also grown fussy about the pallets and get tempted to build a device that pulls them apart at the site after hours, leaving the junk. I tend to take only the best pieces. I now have some competition though I’ve never seen them. I shall not be prying anything for a while. For now, I’ve lots of scrap and no pallet wood.
           My LifeVest began beeping, saying it cannot be used and to contact the head office immediately. I’m duty-bound to report all this, but personally I hope they are saying the lack of issues means I don’t have to keep wearing it. Somehow I know I’m winning some ground back. The numbness in my fingers has abated well in the past 48 hours. My leg sore is finally diminishing. I an delighted how my energy lasted all this day.

Picture of the day.
Ball screw.
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           By noon, I’m still chugging along fine, but decided to quit while ahead. How about as heavy a meal as can be managed? Here’s my shaker of umami, the primary ingredient is salt. I opted for a bowl of chicken fried rice with this and curry. No sense making more until the taste buds convalesce from that January anaesthitic, I won’t let you forget. One bowl, that’s all I could scarf, that is, maybe 2/3 of my quota. I settled for a helping of the jello. I am really off my tracks.

           How about another prototype? This is one of those carts for a small oxygen tank. The tanks must be too heavy for some, it is a sturdy little contraption. So what give here? It’s ground magnet. That round disk is a super magnet from an old 15” bass speaker. As seen here, it is resting on top as I rig up a better mounting underneath. Like a small broom, the magnet sweeps the ground of the three locations where I confine most of my work. I’m expect a lot of drill bits.
           Because nobody has yet designed one that stays in the drill They are too busy gluing their palms to city pavements. If you search for info on this topic, there are plenty of GenX sites who actually tell you to replace the drill. It would seem between them this is a valid option, get it, people with brand new drills don’t search as often, duh. It makes sense in a millennial sort of way.

           Remaining cautious, I opted for a documentary and some pistachio pie. I can better taste “soft” food, so why not. The video was about PT boat design and their employment in the Solomons. The worst loss was from running aground, 18 boats. Only two from enemy shore fire. The USA built 600 of these, sending some to England and the Soviets. Add in some Bearded Viking videos, he builds small projects I like to view and the guy has a sense of humor. Adadabbaglue. He found a lot of wood in abandoned lots along with his wife, as he puts it.
           Has the US really put an Iranian tanker out of business? A shot through the engine room is the rumor. A Chinese robot has run the Beijing e-Town marathon at three times the speed last year. This is not good news for people who have nothing but athletics, and they are everywhere. The Iranian “Shahed” drone, with the lawnmower engine, is being cloned out of cheap Chinese plastic and, says the Ukraine, makes great target practice.
           LiveScience (no link due to security issues) has finally published the spectrometer study of dark matter. It isn’t really dark, but anyway, it suggests the distribution of matter is not entirely random. They released a map showing 47 million galaxies. Not stars, galaxies. I’m settled in and watching a DVD called “Over The Red River”. Worse acting, a string of clichés. The old noble savage Indian on about his land stolen from “sea to sea”, oceans that he heard in legend only and could not point to, but does play a mean Chilean flute. The lady with no food crossing the desert, can this get any worse? At least it is half over and nobody has turned queer yet. But the painted desert backdrops are the worse ever.

           This is, by a large amount, the longest idle time of my life. Even including the busy times a few hours like today, I’ve never done so little for so long. Oddly, the Internet came to the rescue, because otherwise I would be in the library. A subject that’s interesting this time around is bushcraft. Videos of people who make temporary outdoor survival shelters. Some of them are kind of permanent, so I like the ones made of branches and twigs. Blizzard survival, though I never plan to witness anything like that ever again. And they call that a blizzard?
           I don’t know why they got my attention, especially the fold up stoves they carry along. Complete with stovepipes and they always have a pan full of meat to fry up. Myself, I’m okay with weenies and beans. And what is with the flint and steel? If you are taking along all that camping gear, throw in a lighter or some matches. One guy was making burritos. What’s next? Pizza?

ADDENDUM
           It only took 15 years, but I woke up this morning with one of the final navigation steps figured out. Up to now, I had memorized the vague steps and carried on, like 100% of the people I went to college with. It was the confusing process of looking up the LHA or MA (same thing). I always had to do it twice because of how frequently I got it exactly backwards. And this morning it clicked, it made sense. In my brain, I turned one of the triangles upside down, and there it was. I won’t be able to employ it until I find my Sight Reduction booklet, but meanwhile, let’s learn something new. Because it is Sunday.

           It is 07:57:17 on the morning of April 19, 2014 and we have chosen the star Schedar because, if it were visible, it would be in the northern sky. We have not taken a sextant reading, that is not our purpose here. In one of those blog coincidences, I see I’ve chosen this day before, exactly one year ago. The arithmetic gets crazy, the star is above a point W675° 80.3’ and N56° 37’. That’s equal to W316.3248° and N -56.5929 Googlespeak. Now over to the map.

           We are in Russia, in some bushes by a farm field. There are low-lying treed areas nearby with what looks like snow in the shadows. This is way northeast of Moscow on the Volga. We have a nearby town, Gorodets. No, make that a medium size city, with a stadium and many apartments. Populaton 30,000. Let’s delve further.
           The place was once abandoned, but is now near a big hydroelectric dam and famous for wood carvings and embroidery. Lots of carved window frames. The road across the Volga dam is the only connection to the outside except the railroad. Their Craigslist page is full of insults from the Ukraine, who appear to call them Rooskies.
           There appear to be no pubs or nightlife in Gorodets and I could not find a picture of one single young pretty woman, not even the usual ads for Russian brides. Maybe Gorodets is the Russian version of Lakeland, Florida. Get out as fast as you can after you turn 18.

Last Laugh