June 12, 2020

Yesteryear
One year ago today: June 12, 2019, his majesty
Five years ago today: June 12, 2015, a word on keptogamy.
Nine years ago today: June 12, 2011, I consider golf low-IQ.
Random years ago today: June 12, 2008, gypsies, my eye.

           Still in Miami, but my tablet, keyboard, and flash drive all acted up at once. I can understand the appeal of cheap plastic junk to the computer users of today, but how do these things know when I'm traveling? The meeting y'day was mainly concerned with reactivating the robot club, but Agt. M has declined to learn to pilot the drone. The good news is the budget is approved for a virtual reality model. Problem. Nobody around here knows anything about them, and American advertisements cannot be trusted. Rule of thumb, when you see an American ad with fine print at the bottom or a picture showing any female nudity, even a bare shoulder, keep on reading.xylophone music.

           JZ and I walked around the entire Dadeland Mall, normally a great babe-watching trip. Today we saw three, that's it. He kept saying what a pity they were all wearing masks. I’m like, "What masks?"

           Last evening’s meeting failed to produce a drone pilot. It’s not a shortage of volunteers, but that nobody feels up to the challenge. There is also the concern about cracking the thing up. However, the budget was approved and everybody has been asked to consider making the meetings regular again. The suggested frequency is four times per year. I brought up the topic of the newer underwater drones which are still priced out of consideration, but I will now list my reasons why this technology should be looked at.
           Foremost, we are far more knowledgeable than average about how twisted treasure laws have become. This is a complicated topic, but remember two things. One is if you find treasure, keep it secret, two, in America there is a publicly recognized right to resist "bad" law. And it is always bad to insist on a share of somebody else's work. Only scumbags lay claim to something somebody else might find. But I'd be fair about it, such as museum pieces--but not pieces of eight.
           It follows on that we are the ones best equipped to keep away prying eyes and nosy neighbors. The model I looked into has a depth limit of 300 feet. I was unable to find out if that is because of pressure or the length of tether. This makes the unit operable the water layer that is largely unexplored by scuba divers who must decompress after, what is it, 66 feet? Even then they have to carry lighting equipment to see anything much. I showed by nautical chart the realm between 75 feet and 300 feet is a huge realm of undersea territory.

           Sure enough, it turns out I’m the only club member who did the required reading. To make is short, the older drones are too damn expensive to go treasure hunting. They require far too much support and a ship to transport. I further learned there are hundreds of charts and shipwreck sites researched by others that were just beyond the reach of even professional divers. Show me a map of a shipping lane anywhere near most eastern Florida shoreline and I can point pretty much where to start looking.
           I guess I kind of forgot to mention that none of these underwater drones as yet have any way of retrieving any treasure unless a separate boom is purchased, the combination being well over $3,000. But these units are very capable. Hover, anti-current, etc. But if we found something, you’d amazed how fast money can show up around here. And yet again, we’d be first. The drones are superior to fishing cameras and those hull mounted underwater scanners. Don't confuse the two different technologies.

Picture of the day.
Anti-bacterial wood floor.
(It looks it.)
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           Yes, I do have some problem with my eyes. It is not that bad but taking no chances, I’m scheduled for a scan. Talking with my eye doctor, he’s had a friend who caught the Covid-19 virus and died withing 48 hours. I empathize, but there is something that tells me those who die have some condition in common that is not understood. His lab guy that takes all the pictures is even more talkative. The guy actually likes craft beer and xylophone music.

           I was two hours late getting out of town and another hour due to a massive traffic backup on quiet Highway 27. It’s that flat level four-lane divided route though the center of Florida that is mostly uninhabited. But let me explain something. SUVs are not cars, they are trucks. When they get a blowout at high speed, they will turn and tumble. They are trucks made to handle like cars to get around the EPA rule about emissions, so those who drive them get used to bad driving habits like under-correcting. Time and again you see these single vehicle accidents. It’s Nature’s way of saying if you want a car, get a car.

           I arrived too late for brunch, but Alaine has been putting in a ton of time on the yard plants. I saw is right away because she is able to grow cactus. I have a spot for a species that will grow in my yard, she also has a copper tree. She does not like touching the dirt, probably a holdover from her successful years in the food service industry. Did I show you pictures of the seawall repairs done to the house next door their boat ramp? The contractors schmucked up and one small corner of her lot started to sink.
           IBecca was unable to visit. She donated many of the new plants and that worries me. She should not be doing that kind of work but it’s not my place to advise her. Think back how we had talked about using her plotter to print some of her artwork. We never met up for that because I don’t know a lot about plotters. I’m about to learn. She is finally up to clearing her late husband’s office up and as she says, my place is the only decent home for most of it. Mind you he was heavy into blueprinting. He’s the guy who so meticulously restored all those radios.

Last Laugh