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Warning. This blog has evolved through many phases and earlier posts did not allow for links that go dead or change. I never intentionally link to sites that require memberships or similar. Same with sites that don't pass my stringent filtering system. Thus, I encourage readers to NOT follow any links that attempt to redirect, use cookies, or are obvious wrong material for this publication, which is rated PG13.

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 28, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 28, 2025, $67,000,000 splash.
Five years ago today: April 28, 2021, notoriously inaccurate.
Nine years ago today: April 28, 2017, store-bought potato salad.
Random years ago today: April 28, 1981, amazingly prescient.

           Welcome, this is the blog that featured 10-inch tires last day. And we could be heading for just such another exciting tour. I awoke with (get this) tender soles. Yep, on my footsies, and this happened once in the hospital, so I’m out of commission. Then again, I don’t need to stand up to fix what’s wrong with the van. Just don’t be planning any victory parades. We do not know why that hose came loose. We don’t even know if the hose is the problem—but if it is, whew! 5:30AM. My driveway is sand. Am I really going to go grovel in that sand before the day gets too hot?

           By 8:00AM I’m still hobbling, so I’ll share a million-dollar idea one of you may pursue. You will never go broke finding cheaper things to sell in America—the whole problem is selling them. The ideas are easy, here goes. Invent a scoop-like device that makes little round shapes. Existing melon scoops won’t work. What you want is little round meat balls made from wieners, you know, hot dogs. They are not just for breakfast any more.
           The Panasonic is finally broken, I have no local photos for you today. Here is a member of the press stealing wine during the recent shooting in DC.

           Nope, today is not going to work for the van. Since the likelihood is the repair will not cost a bundle, how about we drive up to BestBuy and look at a new camera? I have awful luck with those things. Trust me, the $35 camera that creates blog photos is worth infinitely more than the $399 unit sitting on your mantle, folks. This blog, sad to say, was not much on photos long ago, so you may get the impression daily life was always this dull for me.
           Not so, I once had quite the life, held back only by constraints well beyond my control. Okay, how’s this for human interest. I have this empty mayo dispenser. If you see a picture, then I made it uptown. This is supposed to rest upside down to provide mayo on demand. No more waiting while you invert the big bottle. The thing never worked, as mayo does not have the gravity to flow downward by itself. Ah, but does carpenter’s glue? Now there is a project I could manage with sore feet. Who’s with me on this? Good, hop in, let’s go to BestBuy.

           Argh, moments later a slack spell hit me so I did not drive. Instead, I went over the books as the trips to Miami are eating up any surplus gained here. That was my choice. Remember that day JZ and I went to Corbett’s for a few. That was four beers each and I paid the $70 tab. Never again, not there. Zero women, an older married couples bar. Mind you, my overall entertainment budget was unspent the entire time I was off duty. Nor am I the only one angry about food prices. Why is food costing me $10 per day? I eat good, but not that good.

Picture of the day.
Communist apartments today.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Put everything on hold. We finally got a contact back from Caltier. Nine months, but admittedly the last three have been sub-optimal for me. The easiest explanation is that I was millennialized. They insisted on an e-mail address to open the account, which they then proceeded to use as the account name, without even being asked. Alas, it had the misfortune to be a gmail, that’s another story.

           What happened is Google began demanding codes by telephone when I tried to log into that e-mail for messages. Google are assholes, you cannot decline this “service”. So last year the contact e-mail was changed, but not the account name. It is now clear Caltier is staffed by millennials who get thrown by simple things like this. I could not log on to my own account and their contact phone number has been a constant busy the whole stretch.
           This is a photo of some of the wiring Google claims is their quantum computer. Actually, it is nothing of the kind, but it will simulate the quantum behavior, which is well-known enough. The sole purpose of this development is to enable Google to crack your passwords by brute force. There is no law against this.

           Well, this next round in the Nashville investment game wipes out everything. This is, by the way, one of the reasons I know when people are lying about investments. If things go smoothly, you are not doing it right. Caltier makes it very difficult to find their redemption instructions, which makes sense in a way. Talking with the Reb, I’m pulling out all but $5,000 and it is a nightmare. Like how it asks for 10-digit numbers you never heard of, or to click buttons that do not exist. You know, I had a life before I got to Nashville. Isn't there a song or two about that?

           Caltier brings everything, including Miami, the van, and any pain, to a standstill. Forget the camera, I was on-line until I got most of it sorted out and on the phone in between. There is a disjoint between the morons who designed the Caltier web page and the morons pretending they can maintain it. “Sure, boss, I can change the button for you.” Without a clue what the button does or what it is linked to. That’s somebody else’s job, you old people don’t get it.
           The rush was documents needed by month’s end. There is no indication how much lead time they need, so I put the Reb on hold and waded through the Caltier mess. I got it done and the documents submitted. She wants definites but Caltier has still not answered the requests I put in before noon Tennessee time. Don’t even talk to me about exhaustion. I have invested in a musical career that I know very little about, but it is probably my last kick at the can.

           To forget the day, I went back to sight reduction. It’s making so much sense that I believe I can do it without sextant readings, or do the reading afterwards, sort of. Every book on the topic treats this as a sacred ritual, but I see it is just needed for accuracy that isn’t that necessary to work the tables. You choose the AP (assumed point) early in the process, so check it after unless your ship is moving like 80 miles an hour.
           As for delivering the pressure washer, maybe not until July. Agt. M is flying to Romanian with the family next Monday. One more thing, we have a potential guitar player, I know, I know. The cleaning lady next door works with a lady whose husband “needs a hobby” and apparently played in bands for years. Tomorrow we find out what kind of band. If you go on-line, you’ll find 50 bands and 50 guitarists claiming to be looking—and every one has a serious flaw that’s been holding them back so long nobody remembers. Yep, many of these people have been advertising on the same boards for years, so you just know there are compatibility issues.            Last, a Gunsmoke show, this time a soldier who led a massacre falls for a white gal whose Cheyenne husband he may have killed. Indeed, the writers have run out of material.

ADDENDUM
           What’s in the news? Again it is mostly politics and I can’t change that. Anyway. Republicans are the perfect example of cowardice presented as morality. Every time the Democrats fail at assassination, they’ll say it was staged. 55% of Americans say they are financially worse off.

Last Laugh

April 27, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 27, 2025, CDC Wanted List.
Five years ago today: April 27, 2021, my crabby mood day.
Nine years ago today: April 27, 2017, it is 2017
Random years ago today: April 27, 2024, photos from Mars.

           Cream of wheat, coffee, and the most boring news day in ages. Melania is 56, the shooting is already old news (three strikes for the opposing team) but sets a record. Again, the MSM has cranked up the anti-war noise, and again at street level there is no sign of a war except gas prices. I went over to the churchyard and found the 24mm cap on the transmission pan. Nope, this will take too long, so I called the tow truck.

           While downtown I picked up a pair 10” tires for the neighbor’s hand truck. Yep, $20 for tires on a tool that originally sold for $29. Today it is $69 and depending on what the tow costs, we may go downtown. The Texan was working in his driveway, so I stopped to chat. He gave me the lowdown on how the City is dead set on keeping all towing services under license. He has a tow dollies but will not tow any but his own vehicles. Bought it for $200, which is this morning’s tale from the trailer court.

           When I moved here, there were lots of good radio stations. That was before Biden started giving away free money to non-English buyers. We had Armed Forces radio, always good for old Lone Ranger stories. Interest history and mystery stations but now it is all shigga-booga except for talk radio. There is a phone in sales hour and that is where the neighbor got his dolly. But it is 10:00AM to 11:00AM, so without special occasion, a time slot I rarely hear it.

           He is also too crusty, some would say hard to get along with, to collaborate with. He’d remind you of Elliott. No matter how well you do or how good of a job, he always did it better or cheaper than you, or knows somebody who did both and recently, too. I’m still planning to get the KIA raised up a bit to find where such an unusual leak is originating. Closer examination shows the fluid itself is in good condition, no tarnish or dark color.
           Let me slip in here that overnight was the first long interval where my leg wound behaved well. By no means back to spec, this is still a good event after a quarter of a year. I had the Reds over for breakfast y’day and had a nice long visit. Today they were happy with leftovers as I got busy with chores.

           A bus bombing in Columbia. Strange how that country builds their cities so far away from their “resource-rich” provinces. It means so many road through the jungles and stuff like that. What’s this, Taylor is single again. I told you, she’s saving the best for last. The van, as I get more work done on it, it just cannot be the transmission by itself. Nonetheless, I’m out of theories and I left a message for the tow guy to come by between jobs. He’s the guy who bought his own truck and let me say, he is a natural for self-employment. You can sense that in the right character. Let me add up, he bought the truck in 2019, so that’s a business cycle and he will put his kids through college.

Picture of the day.
Old flak towers.
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           The KIA is in the driveway here and that was a wise move. Here, one can get under the front end proper and assess the situation. You’ll want the tale from the trailer court that led to this. He was busy all day, so we got in the wrecker and talking along the way, he says my description is not that of a broken transmission. We are not mechanics but he says best let him have a look. I’m all for that. He pops the hood and says the leak is on the wrong side of the motor. There are no clunking noises, he checks a few things and declares I am in luck.

           The worse it could be is the transmission cooler is leaking, and that is an easy fix. Wait, he says, until we get it home. It’s getting dark, but we roll it onto a stand where he gets under there with a flashlight. He follows along the pathways and says I should take a look at this. Sure enough, a hose is completely off the coupling. He could see it from his angle and shone the flashlight through the tangle—I’ll see if I can get you a photo of this. He says that one tiny hose could be the source of the whole problem. If so, I’m up a thousand bucks easy.

           It probably needs a hose clamp and I have all those parts in the shed. It got too dark or I would have moved on it. If I made the day sound easy, that’s happy talk. I’m bone weary and feel a hundred pounds heavier and beaten up with a telephone pole. Not sleepy, I studied an intense chapter on sight reduction (navigation) tables until it clicked. It is another instance of the old ASA theorem. The layout of the tables did not help. Once I visualized the two latitudes as flat on a map table, the tedious tables became no easier to read but a lot faster. Just keep me north of the Equator. Should be easy, Tay-Tay has had enough of these dark and handsome types, so she can sail the yacht closer to me in Florida. All for a guy like me she can keep long-term. And who can blame her?
           This is not intended to make sight reduction seem difficult. Conceptually it is easy and I could use them [by rote] before. I’m referring to understanding the tables, which for some reason gave me spells. It had to do with the Earth turning and my brain unable to forget that made no difference. I’ll say it again to convince myself, the tables are simply a big set of calculated information about what the Sun’s height and direction would measure like from every integer latitude in the sea lanes. There is some arithmetic involved but it’s nothing compared to calculating it yourself.
           For those interested, it works simple in theory. Using a sextant and clock, you take some readings. Then you look up information using the Nautical Almanac. Finally, you use the sight reduction tables to find exact data and compare them with your readings. If you are good, you’ll find the results are quite close, usually within a few miles, which you mark as a line on a chart. You need a second reading, again following some rules. Where the two lines cross is your position. Only took me ten years.

           Next, there was a type of voltage regulator called a buck converter I could not understand years ago. Because I had not yet met PWM, pulse width modulation. It would be an expensive waste to use a microcontroller for that, so I know there is more. That is why I made up a double order of pork pineapple fried rice and just sat down. I see I’ve used the term converter and it is really a kind of regulator. It is also a big deal to the people who use them. I’ll look a bit but no taking on something new at this time.

ADDENDUM
           Many movies go on about the Japanese Purple Code, so I took time to read its workings. Surprisingly to me, it used English, not Japanese characters. I found out this was split into two groups of six letters and twenty letters. The groups were strangled differently. Once they figured this out, the Americans focused on the six letters and cracked those first. Tedious work. It is often asked, if the code was broken, why didn’t America know about Pearl Harbor. Because Purple was a diplomatic code, not a military code. The Japanese navy used a different system.
           Another chapter on FPGA, the field programmable gate arrays. These are beyond me, my study is the gates, and old subject. But I know where many of you have heard of these arrays. Radar jamming. It was once done by sending fake or delayed return signals back at the enemy dish, or even launching a homing missile. FPGA works by stealth. It instantly analyzes the radar signal and sends an inverted copy back, canceling the beam out.

Last Laugh

April 26, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 26, 2025, such people.
Five years ago today: April 26, 2021, my bass solo list.
Nine years ago today: April 26, 2017, 185x more.
Random years ago today: April 26, 2023, fun music challenge.

           So, the 2027 cars will go ahead with biometric monitoring. Watch for a surge in used car prices. This move is calculated, as most Americans don’t want such surveillance—but can the auto-makers survive long enough to force the issue? That takes government bailouts and a critical mass of suckers to buy in, kind of like how MicroSoft works. We have visitors in the yard.

           Here is a scene from this afternoon. It looked like the entire KIA transmission drain bolt is missing. This is a special plastic and steel unit meant to trap metal filings. Nobody carries this part. My plan is not changed, plug the drain long enough to get the van back here. I have put 18 miles on the Hundy totaling ten trips including to Autozone and Wal*Mart. While this saves me a bundle, it is not efficient. This is now day four.
           Another PPP is the jack stands. I can’t find them now that I need them. There is not enough room to get under the KIA, though I may be able to locate the upper fill bolt—all of these require wrench sizes I don’t have. The jack stands may be underneath the pressure sprayer in the KIA trunk, and I cannot lift the unit out of the way by myself. Later, it turns out that is not the drain hole. It is just a hole where the on-line expert uber-mechanic said it would be. He lied. Here is a diagram from the official KIA manual to prove the directions are wrong.

           My muscles are sore, cheer up, it is from work, not from my condition. It means a morning at my desk, which unfortunately has to face away from the big window. That is why there are many bells to alert me. The mystery pale yellow birds are back, as are the latest generation of cardinals. The tiny birds, sparrows or wrens, are nice but grab and run. The squirrel has defeated my latest measure, time to review the game cam.
           Now the ancient raccoon, smaller so probably a female. So old I can see the pain as she moves. Is it the same one, or is my yard the legendary raccoon’s graveyard? She is so old she has to scavenge in the daylight, so I let her wander around between the sheds. Sometimes I’ll put out any stale crusts or bakery crumbs, yet do not want to encourage any wild things. Except Taylor, who we have not heard from lately. Hey, she’s pushing 40. Time to slow down, curl up, get some rest.

           How long was I in that hospital? I’ve been consuming much more soup, a product I usually used sparingly. Is it appetite or the pills? Or something even simpler, that I can sit here typing with soup along with coffee and be content for hours? There, I have a reason. My total planning universe centers on right here, so let’s count the change bucket. I’ve been away so it will again be $37.50, which was learned from my years of owning vending machines so long ago. Yep, $39.80 and I’m contemplating a different use for that money. I beat 51 champions on my word puzzle, undated the books, and read a chapter on how to flush empty oil tankers. Not my finest morning.
           There is some defect in the game cam that causes a delay of several seconds before recording. That is precisely the footage I want, instead I get lots of view of squirrels already on the feeder. I’m working on it.
           I do not know how many vehicles you’ve owned in your life. Myself, I lost count and so the KIA is either a 2010 or a 2012. Why not just look on the door? Because guess which number has been scraped off by the door flange?

Picture of the day.
In Jacksoonville, FL
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           How to waste an afternoon? It’s a snap in Florida, most residents do it without an ounce of training or encouragement. I got out to the KIA with what I needed to assess the unfolding repair. We are still looking to move it, not find out what went wrong. Maybe I did. I tried to manually cut the offending bolt, but it was hardened steel. So I strung out the Yeti only to find the width of the cutting head would not fit up to the bolt. This, I cut off the plastic shroud half way and threw it on the ground. This allowed me space to examine the transmission pan and that’s how I found the next problem.

           Shown here is the Yeti, cutting device, hand saw, and the piece cut off. Don’t let me convey the impression this is lite work that went slowly. It is merely saving a lot of money. I’ve been driving the Hundy and still have to hunt for parts. Still, a quarter tank of gas is a small price considering the alternatives. But, we are getting close to that tow.

           Here’s a epic fail, in this case it a “beauty filter”. Have you seen the latest in beauty filters? Those A.I apps than enhance your looks, I tried the earlier brands but could not see any difference. Today I ran my old hospital picture through the first offering on my results and this is what they think I should look like. Since the default results in female faces, which makes sense in a way, I looked to see if women had issues with the software. Ha, you bet.
           There is a clip of some Chinese super-hot whose filter failed. She lost a half-million viewers in something like ten seconds. If I have time, I’ll make a blog-friendly version of it below, as mostly usual, no sound so it is safe for work.

           Then, I knuckled down and viewed a number of KIA videos. The ones that show the inlet port below the battery bracket are bogus and the AOLs who made those videos ought to know better. I removed my battery to find the bracket was spot welded at the factory But other videos showed an “injection: port accessible with the batter still in place. It is identifiable by a plastic screw. So, tomorrow I will try one more. I plain feel like sitting down and thinking. Examining the leak in bright sunlight shows it is very slow, as in a bad gasket.
           The Reb checked on me, what can I report? The past week has been remarkable compared to previous entire months. All the baddies remain, tingling numbness in fingers, leg won’t heal, tightness in chest—but the important one is overall strength level. That’s what not only determines general recovery, it makes other associated ills much more tolerable.
           In daily news, an Egyptian mummy was found to have segments of the Illiad in the sarcophagus. So much for the theory they were African.

ADDENDUM
           Used cars. Consider some of the “features” that will begin to appear in 2027 vehicles, The steering wheel records your fingerprints and the cameras record your face because it can lip-read. All conversations are recorded and the radio, while listening for “wrong-speak”, will play ads based on what you are talking about. Your heartrate and pupil size are recorded by “smart-eye” and you can bet this data does not disappear if not used. Ford is the ringleader but they are all in on it, claiming the data is to prevent an estimated 6,000 to 9,000 highway deaths annually.

           The whole system typifies what is wrong with their thinking. They presume that fault in these deaths is spread evenly over all drivers. In fact, a cursory study would reveal what insurance companies already know—the majority of accidents are caused by a small group who are already well-known. This is the dividing line between use and abuse. The authorities could easily draw up plans to target the baddies, and sure, there would be some screaming.
           But stopping harm is not their focus. They want the right to keep tabs on everybody, cradle to grave. Since that includes the innocent and average, it means you are dealing with an ulterior motive. This agenda has been obvious for decades, they want society marching in columns under their direct and instant control. The existence of dictatorships proves this.

           Here is our Chinese model who got revealed. Oh, we know the less-than-sevens will howl how shallow men are over beauty, but men are even shallower when it comes to women who fake too much. That broad was way over the line.

Last Laugh

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.
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           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.
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           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.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           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