One year ago today: March 4, 2015, not that ugly . . .
Five years ago today: March 4, 2011,bigger than Jesus.
Nine years ago today: March 4, 2007, on teamwork.
Random years ago today: March 4, 2004, fourth Caddy fuel pump.
MORNING
If you can see this image, then that's where I am. I woke up totally famished so meet me at the Senor. I'm buying.
This gif turned out so popular, I'm leaving it.
By 10:30AM it was 105° in the back yard, summertime. Actually, that is because the backyard is shielded from the breeze, it rarely gets above 95° here. But did you hear that quip they had to truck in snow to run the Iditarod, which is a dog-sled race found mostly in crossword puzzles. I opted not to leave town today as I want to take the new rig on a test run first. And other details, like I’m relocating the license plate so it doesn’t hit the ground when you move the trailer by hand. Having it hang below the tail light exposed to mud is another of those engineering feats comparable to microwave light that goes out when you open the door and the cursor that de-selects your word if you use the Thesaurus. Or the seam-down-the-back candy wrapper.
That’s maybe why I like puttering, it gives me time to ponder the greater mysteries of the universe. Like how God made the chicken egg exactly the right size for a sandwich. Or how some people are so dumb the can’t figure out when a politician says what is important, people turn out in droves. But best is how God made a lime the right size for a glass of juice. Limes are far cooler than lemons.
It is feasible to gauge the amount of work done here in a day by measuring the consumption of fruit juice. Today, four quarts. I should not say fruit, since I use drink mixes, taking care to avoid the worst offenders. I’ve always preferred juice to eating the fruit. Example, grapes. I eat grapes maybe one every ten years, and then, only Concord grapes, thank you. But I like Concord grape juice. Concord is capitalized because the grape is named after a city in Massachusetts.
It has large seeds, but these are not used for planting. The grape is a “cultivar” meaning, like marijuana, it is grown from cuttings. The process of planting this way is called propogation. I wonder if such plants are good for human consumption. Not that long ago, there was a considerable amount of wild food in our diets. Today there is zero. Unless you picked your blueberries or even know what a wild carrot looks like, you don’t have any wild food on your menu.
It just can’t be good for our species. Figure it out, the incentive of the food producers is not to increase nutrition, but the pick the traits which produce the greatest profits. Most recent example? That new apple from Washington state that doesn't turn brown after you cut it. If not, is it an apple? Note, Washington state is recovering from a slump in the apple market, mainly caused by overproduction called "bumper crops". This led to every possible economic fix in the book except the one that would have worked: lower prices at the consumer level. It's an American/Canadian thing, people would rather lose their jobs and to work as a mall cop than take a lower salary commensurate with what their old job was really worth. Strange.
I’m back on a war footing. That means I’m beginning to buy things for the future that I don’t really need right now. I’m negotiating on the Yamaha 250 as a replacement for the scooter in what could be years before I need it. That’s just one example, but symptomatic of the fact must be psychologically convinced I’m going to live long enough to get a payback. Put another way, I’m finally back to operating at a surplus beyond ordinary budgetary needs. For instance, I would have to store this Yamaha safely, etc. until such a time.
Guess who I ran into at the coffee shop. Old Rob White, and I mean old by now, as in pushing 100. He’s outlived three pacemakers and his greeting is, “Glad to see you above ground.” He was a regular at the old computer store and the guy gets around.
Trivia. Panera, the only major chain to offer free coffee refills, was the first in America to publish calorie counts. All the rest, including McD’s, are copycats. Have you heard off cell phone coops? That’s a restaurant where all cell phones go in a box until the meal is over. Personally, I think the establishments should just install jammers. Biggest laugh of the day—“family” cell phone plans. Presumably so your teenage daughter can hook after cheerleading practice and your useless teenage son can fap all day
French train wreck, 1895.
NOON
”An honest politician is one who, when bought, will stay bought.” -S. Cameron.
Today I finish the trailer electronics. I’m trusting the tests I ran late last summer that showed the solar panel charging system was harming the batteries instead of keeping them topped up. Until I find out, I’ll simply recharge my marine batteries whenever I can. If I do use the solar panels, it will be for air circulation day and night because of the huge difference that makes. Imagine how snug a pup tent would be if it was always dry and cool inside all summer.
Over at the vacuum shop, I got talking to the owner, who is also interested in solar panels. He reports they’ve finally build a solar panel array that uses the heat generated to both cool the panels and pre-heat the household supply. This is significant because the panels loose efficiency when they get hot. Everybody has probably thought of using the water to cool the panels but gave up when they started figuring the sheer cost.
Nobody has seen these panels yet, but I’ve included an artist’s rendering. There are all manner of hybrid designs that address the reflected heat problem. Even on that used the hot air to drive a mini-turbine. So you’ll know I’m not dreaming these up, here is link to a site that reports these development. How about thermo-electrics? How many people know that the Russians had them in the 1920s. You put one rod in the fire, the other outside in a snowbank, and you can listen to the radio.
Sorry, I ran out of green material before the end of February. I’ll mention anything I find that seems relevant. For instance, Brazil is finally curbing the amount of Amazon forest that can be cut for sugar cane. I could not find it they lowered the acreage being burned, just that they could not do so for sugar cane. Brazil has been a monoculture arming area for my entire life, when I was young, it was coffee. It, uh, wasn’t that great coffee either.
The plane is considered hybrid because the four engines can be tilted downward for takeoff. Air travel has changed in my time. When I grew up, it was customary to wear your Sunday best to take a flight. The inflight movie was just that. A pull-down screen and a projector in the aisle with old Tarzan re-runs. By 1985, I was regularly making 20 hour flights to Thailand. The passengers changed, too. It is laughable to speak of airplane efficiencies when other than visiting, probably 99% of the riders have no useful reason for being there.
I’m reminded of the lady who noted that where travel used to broaden the mind, nowadays, it merely lengthens the conversation. (Aah, I just remembered her name: Liz Drew.)
EVENING
Before I talk more about the camper, here is my visit to a chemical factor. This was the poison rack, brought to you by Duncan Heinz, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Dow Chemical. Breakfast in Chernobyl. The ingredients list is not pronounceable by native English speakers. No, there is not one brand even available without additives such as “natural flavoring”. Cake mix boxes should carry the number of the Poison Control Hotline. Lesson: make your own cakes.
Think on this a bit. The trailer is 3-1/2 feet long in travel configuration. Yet the wiring measures over 120 feet. And I still haven’t figured out why the side markers aren’t working. There are a few concessions to take the pressure off the Honda electrics, such as a flip switch that kills the marker lights when I’m starting the machine. It can take a few grinds especially on cold mornings.
There are now a series of switches to control the trailer, since the main power battery is now located on the motorcycle. There was no way to balance a 100 lb. battery on the wagon where it didn’t interfere with the interior space or raise the center of gravity. All switches are accessible both from the driver’s position or the sidecar chair. The new Honda alternator seems to keep up with the chores of the trailer, but I’m not going to wear it out. The new starter will also help.
ADDENDUM
It’s not all work and not play around here, you know. For instance, sometimes I take a break and do some work, like on the electric bass. This time I took apart the CanCan Polka (Galop Infernal) note by note and added back as many of the note embellishments as can be done on the bass. What my mother used to call playing the “diddley-diddley notes”. The professionalism in the household I was raised was without peer in its day.
I learned the CanCan off some sheet music, and I think it has not been proof-read. It contains two extra measures over the flute version that sold me on learning the piece. I can play it either way, but I’m opting for the flute. Reviewing my top ten list shows something rare in Florida. So you’ll know, the top ten list is not my favorites, only guitar players think their favorites also apply to the audience. They are then ten songs I would play if I had to do a one hour solo performce. What’s rare is 60% of the songs are new music I learned this year. Not the same crap I’ve been playing since 1970, like all too many people I know.
And what are those tunes? Ah, you want the list, so you can verify my words. Okay starting with the four instrumentals,
Buckaroo
Andy Griffith Theme
CanCan Polka
Walk, Don’t Run
And the rest I sing at least part of the time
Love Me Tonight
Folsom Prison Blue
Momma Tried
Don’t Rock the Jukebox
You Got Your Troubles
Here’s A Aquarter
Tennessee Flat Top Box
Party Till Money Run Out
Jambalaya
Oh Lonesome Me
Spiders & Snakes
These Boots
Oops! Did I go a little over my time again, Steve? Dang, once the audience gets going, it is hard to stop, but I understand you wouldn't know a thing about that. Say, you know who I haven’t seen around for a couple of years? Cowboy Mike. I should pull up to his trailer and check on the dude. It’s not like he had a pile of friends and neighbors, he was more like the Hippie. A crazy hermit type. Besides, I’m not above giving people a second chance. Or in his case, a tenth chance. And Steve, since you are a better musician than I am, let’s hear you entertain a room for an hour with a drum solo. Ut-tut, you are one of those who said “bass is easy”, which implies simple, which implies you think you can do better. So let’s hear it, boy.
Last Laugh
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