February 14, 2023

Yesteryear
One year ago today: February 14, 2022, van headaches begin.
Five years ago today: February 14, 2018, the slumps.
Nine years ago today: February 14, 2014, Panama vs authority.
Random years ago today: February 14, 2010, a promising development.

           Cold. The cold I do not like. It’s check the news feeds and take the van in, this time hopefully we’ll get some cruise control. Another mass shooting, but it will drop quickly as the gunman was not White. And we are being treated to another round of government news releases designed to pretend the pandemic was a widely accepted fact. “Revcovery in a post-COVID World” type of nonsense. According to the press, people are not at all suspicious that seven countries emergency evacuated their staff out of Turkey in the 24 hours before the earthquake.

           My take on that is while earthquakes cannot be predicted, they can be forecast. The science has come a long ways. There was something else caused the flight and the earthquake disguised it. It was most of another day spent in the KIA shop, but once again the money saved is great. Turns out even the cruise control is covered by warranty, so the only expense was $80 for two key blanks. And they want it back for more free work. I had expected to pay out ten times that.
           It’s not all roses. To repair that door handle is $325 and that spare tire another $355, which I have not decided on yet. This time I was ready with work material for 8 hours, so unless you want more data on KIA, here’s notes of what got attention today, and lots of trivia. Before that, here’s a couple from the Neiman Marcus catalog all car dealerships leave lying around in their showrooms. His sweater is $1500, his slacks $900, and her jeans $1200. I should have gone into modeling where you get cozy with lots of women who are just as shallow as you are.
           I spent most of the day reading. They have a big screen, but it was again stuck on that channel about flipping houses. Where the wife goes on about where the new fireplace and ceiling beams should go while the husband always agrees, saying “Uh-hum.”

           Here goes. Florida citrus production is down a fifth. Since 2000, the number packing houses has dropped from 106 to 13. Last year’s big cash crop was watermelon. Some 431 farms produced 38,000 pounds of it per acre, average selling price $0.164. That’s a net of over $6,000 per acre, with the top farm reporting $8,300. See, I told you I was reading. And that does not include the watermelons sold in countless fairs, markets and roadside stands because everybody knows that’s where the real money is, ha-ha.
           That got me thinking of microgreens. These are small plants that grow only a few inches high, mostly in greenhouse trays. I see that has expanded to include many other plants which are picked when still small, expanding the choice to some 60 varieties. Whoever studies these things has determined the smaller greens contain 5 to 6 times more nutrients. It makes sense in some ways.

           Florida, the land of the invasive species. They catch around 200 Burmese pythons a year, apparently the snake is dumb and easy to snare, but most people shoot them. Be advised, however, that in Florida, even to eradicate a nuisance, a license and permit and registration and show ID to get endorsement and consent. Killing pythons is a privilege, not a right, or something along those lines.
           It’s the latest in therapy. Digital detox for CEOs and such who get stressed. The idea is to head for areas where technology has had minimal impact, such as French Polynesia. Some big shot from Salesforce says is it a wonderful place to disconnect. This is popular when one gets stressed from activities such as laying off 10,000 workrs, disconnecting millions of subscriber’s G3 phone service, and censoring presidential media accounts.

Picture of the day.
700 foot sinkhole in Chile.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Let’s talk money, a popular favorite in our troubled times. Here is a notice on the vending machines that take debit. It’s a warning that the bank will put a hold for greater than the purchase price of anything you buy from the machine, and hold that amount for up to three days. Notice the plug that says “Go Cashless”. I do believe America has waited long enough that we finally have a generation stupid enough to fall for this. The notice makes it clear this is bank policy. If a vending machine can freeze even a penny of your money over a bag of chips, folks, and you don’t get very worried, you probably deserve what the Democrats will do to your money supply.

           It says here Paul Simon sol the rights to “Sound of Silence” for $200 million. And Bob Dylan sold all his material for $150 million. The buyer was SONY, which typifies the depth to which the America style recording industry has sunk. Not music, I say, but recording. I though Dylan had died back in the 60s, and I pronounce it “DIE-lan” until he learns out to spell.
           Kikkoman, the soy sauce people, have sponsored a new set of maps. The difference? They show the world with the east on the left. It seems there were elements of White supremists having it the old way around, although the motive was probably nothing more than that most of the maps were sold in the USA. Now, when you open an atlas, the handy shores of Portugal and Morocco will greet you instead of California.
           Next, I read an account of Cummins Diesel and their on-going struggle with pollution standards. Really, I don’t know much about the company other than it being a family startup. My interest is the engines. It would seem to me A.I. is something that could be applied to diesel technology, though I’d personally be more likely to see if A.I. could be applied to bass lessons on-line. Anyway, the article says Cummins is heavily into hydrogen power. Check that out if you have any of the extra time that I don’t.

           Who recalls the 1980s when I used to complain how the travel industry got it ass-backwards when it came to “singles”. I understand it was safer for singles to travel back then, but prices and accommodation were all based on a term invented by sub-idiots of the day, “double occupancy”. I always hated that and took it to be a prime example of “British-think”. Why, if you have enough money to travel, you don’t mind paying for stuff you don’t use. Well it seems some of the cruise lines have awakened (partially) to reality. Have you heard of Oceania’s latest “solo” verandas. Called staterooms and billed as small but cozy, they are the result of adding a partition down the middle of the old cabins. Don't underthink this problem if you go on a trip hoping to meet someone, as women are wont to do. That means you'll have awkward decisions to make, especially when you pal meets a babe with an ugly friend. Where are you gonna sleep? Try picking up your own babe on a cruise ship where everybody knows by 9:30 you were seen with the ugly one.
           These 450 square foot units still have a massive double bed you have to walk around, but they are nicely located on the concierge deck. Meaning you get laundry service and slightly wider doorways. Oh, and don’t forget they give you a passkey to the lounge, where the drinks cost twice as much as over in steerage, or what do they call that these days? “Interior”, that’s it. Here is a photo of a typical stateroom, expect a cozy fit. As for prices, take the amount you would spend on a double, divide it in half, and add 60%. That is, they are just about as expensive as when they gouged you for double-occupancy. Cruise lines are not the place to go bargain hunting.
           And what is a half-day in the KIA showroom without People magazine. Show of hands, does anybody know what Paris Hilton looks like today? Hmmm, that’s what I thought. Anyway, she gets the award for top complainer. Now over 40, still dying her roots dark brown, and still dating men who, well, they just plain look stupid, she is now billed as a “businesswoman” and that is what the complaining is all about. She says people expected with her big name, all doors would be opened for her, and it not true, she bleats. Proving once again how hard it is to see the picture when you are in the frame.
           Yes folks, she’s 41, and yes, she looks much younger than her younger sister, Nicki, I’ll let you look that one up. If Paris really wants to find locked doors, she should go on a Concierge level solo cruise and try her passkey. I remind the world at her age, I retired.

ADDENDUM
           Speaking of becoming over 40 and still eluding success, I ran into Bradford. He’s not convinced but he’s seen the light. We’ve scheduled learning five songs (finally) just to have something ready should a chance arise. These tunes are:

Chicken Fried
Cocaine Blue
Wagon Wheel
When I Cry
Midnight Special

           Business has been slow, he reports, so now is a good time. He is still a guitar player, so he will need to believe he is star of the show. His singing sure has come a long ways and he beat me to it at a much earlier age.

Last Laugh