April 25, 2021

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 25, 2020, yard work.
Five years ago today: April 25, 2016, thanks to monitoring . . .
Nine years ago today: April 25, 2012, try to buy just one.
Random years ago today: April 25, 2008, astonishingly insect-free.

           A great morning but I warned myself things would slow down for me in every category. That includes my ancient tradition of Sunday breakfast at a fancy joint. Instead, it was the new French toast burger thing at BK and, well, not that great. But the coffee is great, I had three cups. To fortify my resolve to get something done today. Lately it has been fifty small projects. Sure, in the end, it will pay off. Here’s a lucky break, the box I built for the random pallet pieces fits snugly in the scooter basket. The box isn’t finished yet, just being tried on for size.

           The reason for a box is in America these days, most places won’t let you walk into a store with a bag from another store. Shoplifting is just too prevalent since the Equal Rights Amendment and honest to God nobody knows why. I’m driving a scooter. I need something I can secure because certain people who are not the best and the brightest will even steal your dirty laundry. And no, you can’t send Kamela the bill.

           Next, I gave Matilda a special breakfast of corn and for the first time, shelled sunflower seeds. I swear, that chicken thinks I’m Santa Claus. I was out shopping for an attic fan (sold out everywhere) when I found a ten pound bag of seeds on sale for $6 bucks. Maybe I should stop believing that old tale that chickens have a bad sense of taste. Put the feed in two piles and watch what they go for.

           Another photo shows some more pallet wood. It was a bug box with enough lumber for my work bench, but I had no hammer. All I got was this lid. In the 8 minutes it took to get home and back, somebody got the box. I aim to construct a box for my meat grinder. They should not be left assembled as they cannot be properly cleaned that way and there are too many hard to replace small pieces.

           What I cannot do yet is build a box to spec. You know, plan and cut a box that is, say, 8-1/4” inches by 12-3/8” inside measurement. I have to make a rough estimate and add at least an inch of clearance. In fact, this works well because there is always space for accessories and spare batteries or bits. Nor can I make two boxes identically. Small pieces still give me a hard time. No sweat, for the handiness and need for bigger wooden boxes around here shows to signs of abating.

           Here’s what the basic final product looks like mounted on the scooter. The box is also finished to the extent that’s how I’m leaving it. Now bolted down to the scooter carrier, I just need to figure out how to clean out the carburetor and I’ll get some use out of this. The clasp shown on the front will be replaced by a locking hasp. I’d rather be in Tennessee which means I’m not starting any big projects. To those who noticed, yes those protectors on the corners of the lid came from my old PA speakers that got new plywood cabinets.

Picture of the day.
Asian hi-rise slums.
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           I’m partially ignoring the Floyd-Chauvin travel but it is blasting at us from all sides. The answer is a series of simple steps nobody wants to admit will work. I remain of the opinion cops need to have the macho part of their roles defunded, starting with the ceasing of traffic road stops except drunk driving. No more pulling people over, the single most terrifying experience for most Americans because the police have made it so. How many of these shootings are the result of this activity? You look it up, I quit counting years ago.
           These black communities are not going to straighten up until we let them start policing themselves. They have proven they want the benefits and protection of white America without ever intending to change their ways to what works in this country. Some say they prefer to stay here and be oppressed than go anywhere else. Every other race generally does well by assimilating, while keeping their little festivals and rituals going as a holiday or something. They aren’t trying to change America into the shit-hole they came from, but they are trying to get something for nothing.

           They are also guilty of grossly misquoting statistics, the one in vogue now is that 1,000 people have died in police shootings the past year, implying all of them were black, which is false. Another big lie is the policeman’s knee was on the dead man’s neck. It wasn’t. They keep playing the video of Floyd saying he can’t breathe, but forgot to edit out the equal number of times the police said they would let him up if he’d get peacefully into the police car.
           Now about the policeman who shot the black lady about to stab another. DBP? Some racist blacks are saying the policeman would not have shot the assailant “if she’d looked like Britney Spears”. I watched the video. Yep, they got a point there. This one looked like Idi Amin.

           What is this gadget? A home made small iron sweeper. I keep the handles from old frying pans that go bad just for situations like this. Why did it make a top story? Because out shopping this morning I saw a very similar tool priced at $22. This country is undergoing one massive inflation hit starting with lumber and tools. So as not to get caught without a hand sledge again, I stopped to price one at Harbor Freight. That was $19, I’ll pass. My second wish was for my shed to be full of expensive tools. Looks like I’m getting there without lifting a finger.
           Waiting on Mars. NASA is again being stingy with videos from the rover. We were told the video would be of the latest quality, super-ultra-high definition. I’m going to see what’s on youTube right now, so stand by. NASA has one bone-head problem they’ve not fixed since the Gemini program—you can’t tell the real video from the simulations. This invites all manner of delirious crackbrain cackles from the Nazi UFOs at the South Pole crowd. NASA further suffers from the Stunned Ape problem, the naming of features with duplicate names from Earth, names difficult to spell or pronounce, and names of people whose reputations are far from secure. I’m back, youTube was no help. The rovers have found clay deposits which proves water and it’s hard to ignore the stratification layers on scenes of eroded cliffs. In a way, I think there is something they are not telling us.

ADDENDUM
           How goes the Arizona audit? Not so good for the radical Democrat leftists. From the reaction of Pelosi and gang, it could be that the Democrat election board, fearing an audit, may have destroyed a lot of the bad ballots. Ha, if they did, they would have had to take out so many that were all for Biden to wipe out his narrow margin, what was it, just 10,000 votes. How I love to watch a liberal squirm. Why have the liberals allowed the audit to proceed. There is a lot at stake, so I’m surprised they have not interfered. The Biden margin was so tiny they only have to stop counting when they reach the maximum number of possible voters.

           Possibly the left, flush with confidence if they can sway a jury trial, they can discredit some silly old audit. The old standby that if you want to know what a leftist is up to, listen to what he accuses others of, isn’t working this time. They’ve made no accusations.
           Does this mean they need the distraction from their gun grab, immigration crisis, and wrecking of the economy? That would not make sense because an audit will generate negative headlines and retractions don’t work. Hmmm. Just like the American system had nothing in place to stop the ballot fraud, we don’t have anything ready if the audit shows that Trump won, which I believe it will. I’m not taking sides, but there are just too many unanswered questions. But I do know if Trump wins and the left screams, I’ll be the first one saying, “no evidence”.

           Speaking of Democrats and vegetables, it is collard season again and here are some sprouts right at the front stoop. They are more likely to be trampled than eaten. The reason is they are too near the zone of the building that gets sprayed with 6 month insecticide. Chemicals like that are not allowed in the kitchen.

Last Laugh