August 23, 2022

Yesteryear
One year ago today: August 23, 2021, no shed left unpainted.
Five years ago today: August 23, 2017, recent military accidents.
Nine years ago today: August 23, 2013, on batteries.
Random years ago today: August 23, 2007, best hat ever.

           A morning with coffee and the radio. What is going on out there? Somethings I can tell by listening and the far left is deep in desperation mode. I could not tell you the details, but it has something to do with a massive political donation to conservatives who supported Trump in the past. The bad guys have tried every provocation the can to cause enough violence to declare martial law but it isn’t working. Unless they arrest Trump on stage, it won’t work, either. The harsh rumors are that the documents taken from Trump contained evidence against the D-party honchos and they wanted it back.

           Ars Technica is testing whether TV or Social Media are more at fault for promoting dementia. Say again? BBC reports that “brain stimulation” increases memory, but only for a month. It uses one of those weird electrode caps seen in 1930s monster movies. Twenty minutes a day for four days results in improved “selective memory”. Some day the Brits may discover something that makes memory last for virtually a lifetime in only twenty minutes a day. It’s called reading.

           Okay, I stepped outside and right back in. Long enough to take this photo of the clearing where we can now see the neighbor’s yard. I’m cooped up so I wrote letters to most of my group. That’s one easy way to be unique and well-remembered. It’s a lost art and over the half-century, I can dish out some advice on writing you won’t find elsewhere. I was guided by what seemed to work best and was not too difficult at this end. The harder it is to write, the more you’ll put it off. Here’s my formula:

A) For most people, two letters per year is fine.
B) Never ask anyone to write you back, I often tell them not to.
C) Write what’s happening, let them decide how you are doing.
D) Include pictures, it is so easy these days.
E) Keep current and don’t repeat yourself.
F) Word-processed is okay but hand-write the envelope.
G) Minimum length one single-spaced page
H) Avoid gossip, politics, but include your hobbies.

           These are in addition to any other hints I’ve given. If you want to be certain your letters are always opened, include random $5 in the envelopes. My core group of people, such as JZ, the Reb, and Marion average two letters per month, but this often includes business matters but not the technical stuff. Never discuss money on the phone or letters, do it in person. The best time to enact blanket security is twenty years ago. Especially the national audit you can expect if the election is stolen again.

           How about that video of Las Vegas demolishing small houses? My objection is that city councils have too much power. The state is under a mandate to provide alternative small houses, but not until 2024. So this charity outfit buys vacant land and built some shelters of around 50 square feet. They were not that bad and I identified with them in one big way. You see, I learned early exactly what a barrier it was to not have a secure place to keep things. I never owned anything of value larger than would fit in my pants pockets and even then often had to protect it by sleeping with my clothes on. These shelters had a locking door and the value of that should not be underestimated.
           In that news clip about the same eight people winning the Maryland lottery 2,305 times, that is just prizes over $600. Less than that, the don’t have to show ID. I have not had time to watch “My Cousin Vinny” but I did stop for coffee and a muffin. That’s now $6.30 plus tip.

Picture of the day.
Laser cutting template.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Nature Communications (an on-line journal, but not a real journal like this blog) reports that twice as many American believe in climate change than who deny it. But, they continue, the perception is the opposite. You heard me. Never mind what you see and hear and all the stats. When America views climate change people as a dismal minority of sub-tards, why it is your perception that is off kilter. I’m going to fix up the sheds a bit, this week of super-humidity means the rainstorms are coming. If I can’t work outside, I’ll make the sheds comfortable. Stock up the cooler and line up some bench work.          

           Three hours of benchwork, and some toasters are made so that they cannot be repaired. Usually a broken element can be snipped and shorted to work again. But not when the element is printed on some kind of slate-like base. Here’s photo of me splicing cords and cables. Look at the array of tools needed, so don’t let them tell you it is easy. To do it right takes effort. Those who swear by shortcuts are not telling the whole story. Repair a guitar cable in five minutes and it lasts means no heavy use, or it’s used in place, something is not up front.

           Now we have a test light, two spliced extension cords, my old toaster back, and repairs to that most crank guitar cord. The wires inside have some kind of green coating that has to be burned off as the wires are too fine to use anything else. But it was the only great cable I have of the length needed. Because I was ready, it did not rain. Just a howling wind storm. The radio said the average teacher in Florida makes only $40,000 per year. Who goes to university to earn only $40,000 per year?

Last Laugh