January 13, 2020

Yesteryear
One year ago today: January 13, 2019, one boring post!
Five years ago today: January 13, 2015, I discover gifs.
(but not how to create them)
Nine years ago today: January 13, 2011, except they were the hicks.
Random years ago today: January 13, 2007, what a dumb post.

           Back at the throttle, I got everything caught up but at higher cost. This is not just connected to my statements about the system “tightening up” but directly attributed to it. A document got filed with two signatures in the wrong positions, for instance. At the top of the form was listed myself and then somebody else. I logically signed the form on the blank at bottom left, and the bottom right was signed by the other. Regardless of what arguments could be made, the form was signed by both parties as required by law and that should be the end of it. Wrong. Enter the modern bureaucrat, whose destiny is pinned on petty detail.

           Since any reasonable person would overlook such a harmless error, it doesn’t take much to conclude they are after something else. Can you guess what it was? I did, in fact, I figured out decades ago it would come to this. They were after the amount of time it took to return the corrected document. I received the notice Friday when I got back and dropped the amended letter in the mail this morning. Add a dozen little events like this and I’m done, but a thousand dollars poorer. I’ll say it again, in America it has become too expensive for the average person to obey all the law all of the time.

           Lookie, there’s a slight hint of red on my poinsettias. That’s it, they should be in blood-red bloom by now. That is a lovely green, mind you, but how about a little color. Shown to the eagle-eyed in this photo are three of the other non-native plants in my yard. The pink petunias, the devil’s backbones, and the mother-in-law tongues. I have a budget of $85 set aside for this composting idea of which I know nothing. Agt. R says it is easy, but he’s the horticulturalist whose yard looks like a botanical garden. I intend to buy lumber for some easy to build model gleaned off the Internet and take my chances. I want to put the thing in the front yard where it is needed, but I’ll follow advice on that one.
           When I got back from the library, a baby robin had gotten into my bedroom. I was able to shoo it into the kitchen where it found the open door. Too fast for me to get the camcorder into action, thanks again, Sony. The mystery is, how did it get in here. It’s like that unanswered question of why the Bush administration attacked Iran, which had nothing to do with the Trade Center incidents. Or why cable TV is permitted to gouge customers with hidden fees. The easy answer is that they are all on the same team.
The episode of that war that I find most ridiculous was the footage of Bush asking each commander if he was ready to go. Somehow, I could not see any one of them saying, “Well, Jesus, George, my wife’s on the plug, I’m hungover, and we need conscripts, not volunteers. And don’t forget you tuned down my request for hoodies.”
           I’m reminded of the German commanders who hit the US Army at Kasserine Pass, the first US contact with an armed enemy. They picked off the fleeing Americans until the panzers ran out of gas saying the Americans didn’t fight war, they played war. But, that is how they were led. Patton, my eye. But you have to admit the US Armed Forces, from the outside, looks like a well-oiled machine, an apt comparison.

Picture of the day.
Luxury barber shop razors.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Late last afternoon I crawled under the joists a bit to determine what’s needed for the new water supply system. It’s only two cuts, but they could be fun as the majority of the piping was connected to the old system and designed for that arrangement. Since I’ve gotten the entire rest of the system to work first time, I’m willing to take some chances. I’d like to pre-assemble the entire network of pipes from the destination toward the source. That way, where to tap into the old system can suggest itself. The books all say this is an error-prone approach, but could they mean for your average-IQ plumber? Guess we’ll know shortly.

           I like to read the Nashville Retrospect, that paper that reprints news from days of the past. In 1869, William was charged a $500 fine for rape of a little negro girl. Those who crow about sexual equality listen up. His accomplice, named Emma, was released upon agreeing to keep the peace for one year. The man gets a fine equivalent to XXXXX today and the woman gets a slap on the wrist. The article did not reveal what Emma’s part in the event was. So ladies, before you whine too much, just remember dignity, discretion, and reputation are also things which could be victims off too much equalization.
           The same paper contains a report of firemen collecting money for cancer research in 1958, what over 60 years ago. American cancer research has long crossed the line from contributions to career. Let’s put this into perspective. This one drive had a target of $100,000 in 1958. There are 250 cities the size of Nashville or larger. This is on top of other contributions, if I had time I’d like to know how much the Cancer Society has raked in all these years. I’ll bet it is more than the Manhattan Project and might even best NASA. Yet, I’ve never heard of a cancer breakthrough much less a cure. Kind of makes you wonder.

ADDENDUM
           I see Arduino has announced a new module that enhances IoT connectivity. I was approaching that stage when buying this property took all my spare time. Maybe this is my queue to look back at the technology. While I've stated that IoT is supremely dangerous, that does not mean an amateur can't make a fortune with it. While I don't understand the process, I understand the coding and if I need to hide code, I can go a step lower than C+. It's called Assembler.

           Wouldn't that be something if IoT forced code back past DOS into Assembler? Anyway, I'm fully aware it is not the most sophisticated code that succeeds, but the first to market. Here is a picture of the new Arduino module. Look at the size of that processing unit. The rest of the design is the same old crap.

Last Laugh