One year ago today: November 29, 2017, the 1970's guilt trip.
Five years ago today: November 29, 2013, at the Canyon.
Nine years ago today: November 29, 2009, GPS-equipped census agent.
Random years ago today: November 29, 2007, CAD of the old trailer.
The morning off, it was chilly and the break did me good. A guy needs time to think, especially on topics he ain’t very good at. Hmmm, that was rather profound for a nothing Thursday. And fix that birdfeeder, or am I getting used to being scolded constantly? Here’s the front yard sittin’ parlor. I’ve done a mini-re-evaluation of the situation here and it is time to press onward to finish the renovations. Except I am now $3,000 poorer on that, remember the account discrepancy? That was not in my favor. I’ve learned not to make too many small changes at once but guess what is going on? Changes. Not big deals, I mean more like the way I’ve begun putting sweetener in my coffee again after nearly 30 years. Why am I cautious? Because with a dude like me, these things quickly add up.
I have never trusted MicroSoft since 1981 when I first saw programs that had to be “installed”. I used Google a few times in the mid-90s and was suspicious with the results long before I began to realize it was channelizing my searches. And Facebook. I set up a fake account shortly after it arrived and when I saw the level of detail it was demanding concluded no good would ever come of this. Within the year, the CIA was drooling to get their hands on that data. They could not believe people would volunteer such information. And I laughed when I heard of such situations as companies refusing to hire people without a Facebook account. Only people who paint themselves into a corner got zapped with that one.
These are not social networking, they are social manipulation. The legacy will infect all Facebook members for many a decade to come. Even the few who have had their accounts closed will never be sure the files were actually deleted. I can assure you they have not been. The information, when angled to nefarious purposes, is just to valuable. I knew guys who spend months typing their life history into Facebook, thinking it would get them laid. That didn’t work either, but the information is safely tucked away as pending evidence somewhere. The dupes say no worry since they have done nothing wrong. Duh, guys, that just means they haven’t made up a law against it yet.
While I can’t read the future, it isn’t brain surgery to notice that, except for items like consumer rights, no new law enacted in 150 years has ever been in the people’s favor. Ah, did I hear someone say what about seat belts? Wrong. I wore my belts long before there was a law, and so did every intelligent person. The law was to force the stupid majority to wear them because the insurance companies were losing money. So if you think the law is in your favor, check out what happens if you get stopped not wearing one. And that goes for any worthwhile example the peanut gallery can come up with. Ut-tut, Jones, I said ‘worthwhile’.
Australian brush fire.
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What the? I’m having a rough go adapting back to this time zone. Now I hear that Dollar Tree is in the red. To my overseas readers, Dollar Tree is like an American institution. Everything is one dollar, you can go there and stock up what would cost three to seven times as much anywhere else. Canned meat, scribblers, toys, books, and most over the counter medicines, one dollar. I hope they make it, I would still shop there if everything cost two bucks. You can’t compare even to Wal*mart, who have begun selling by the package. When I needed a pair of winter socks out west, I had to buy a package of four pairs for $10.
And these excellent packets of mint-flavor chocolate. What? Why don’t I say what? Oh, because the word “minty” is not allowed in this house, that’s why. Just you never mind why. Anyway, sparse reports until I get back on my feet. I don’t know what the plan is, but so you know, I have to be prepared to make another trip at a moment’s notice, a notice that is surely going to happen and it is sad news.
Taking advantage of the warm weekend, I recharged the car A/C. I had to buy an adapter to the adapter to the adapter to get the otherwise standard pressure hose to fit. The theory seems to be with the new piece, you can use half a can of refrigerant where before it was all or nothing. But how advantageous that is when the can is $4 at Wal*Mart is moot, since the adaptor costs $3. Moments later, make that just two adaptors, not three. When I got the package open, the cap was all one piece. But still.
[Author's note: to my overseas readers (TMORs), sweethearting is an American checkout counter ploy. It can take many forms, such as the clerk swipes a lower priced item, or places the higher priced meat on top of a cheaper cut and scanning that. In my case, the clerks generally, no matter what I have, just ring up a discount coffee.
It's a situation that will always exist when there are sweetheart old guys like me and live women clerks. I'm Mr. Whitey and the even the black clerks ring me up short. Sometimes you got it, guys.]
ADDENDUM
Nice to know who your friends are. I got back late, as in after dark last evening, so I stopped at the old club on Hwy 60. The place was unexpectedly packed. So a gulped one down and who should walk in but a little sweetie I used to play some guitars with. I decided to have another and was a dollar short. No problem, as I see Dawn at the far end surrounded by her usual batch of bubbas. I asked her for a dollar and she said hell no, she don't got no dollar. That's the last time I give her brother a hundred bucks so he can land on his feet. Not lent him, gave him.
Fortunately, she said it loud enough that others heard and bought me the beer.
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