July 16, 2024

Yesteryear
One year ago today: July 16, 2023, their “stated” assets.
Five years ago today: July 16, 2019, these tactics don’t work.
Nine years ago today: July 16, 2015 Random years ago today: July 16, 2006, Wannado City.

           This morning I caught up all the paperwork, which includes most of this blog. But I will confess this blog is not a priority, it is more like recreation. I got the KIA unloaded, including the lawn mower, which will not start, but that can wait. The neighbor lent me the money for the van, so I’ll quickly describe the events of the day.
           We also had to drop his rental car when the collision shop got a loaner back, but that is a 25 mile trip from here. Talk about rain, but we made it and I must say, the gag at the desk, Meg, is something else. Mid-twenties but prime, or what, in cowgirl jeans that fit just right. This running around is very time consuming. We did not get to the car dealership until 4:30PM. Here are pictures, throughout today’s post.

           It’s a 2007 with 145k on the clock. Rides smooth, shifts smooth, not that peppy, good rubber, cold A/C. Slight rattle over the bumps but otherwise a good ride. List price was $6299, I got it for $2500 plus $185 in taxes and such, so it is sitting in the driveway. And I need another 12 hours n the sack.
But later. I have to get some lumber out of the rain and while I was away my best drill, the 20 Amp Hart, got knocked off the shelf and spent who knows how long in the mud. I cleaned it with compressed air and it runs.

           The past 13 days has devastated my bank accounts. The Reb and I had just finished adding the big totals to realize we were broke until November or December before this series of breakdowns. The remainder of the summer is canceled, I have funds for exactly one more trip to Tennessee.before 2025. I’m well-known at the car lot for paying cash, so they told me if I get another string of bad luck like this, they will sell me something on payments with out a credit check.
           This is how I discovered this suburb has drug problems. It’s too near the working district of Winter Haven and the dealership reports they’ve had driveaways. I knew the area over by the tracks has druggies wandering around. The car lot says they now have to send an employee along on every test drive. Well, not me, but you know what I mean.

Picture of the day.
Sam Houston State Forest.
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           It’s a good thing I can cook and stocked up so much coffee. But my grits are a goner. A rat somehow got up on top of the fridge, where I keep such foods. The vermin got my two products in paper containers, grits and oatmeal. It’s the grist that caused the mess. We are not out of the weeds yet, I have only $80 to last a while and I need a grocery shop. Did I mention when I was in Kroger’s last week, I saw a guy with two shopping carts of stuff who realized he had just spent $1,000. The look on his face!

           There was also a single tube sold, I ship it out tomorrow. Fifteen bucks. I’ve learned a lot about eBay, and I still don’t like it. They’ve put so much effort into making this easier for their stupid users that the system is a pain for people who have a clue how the business part is supposed to work. I doubt if one seller in a hundred has a proper set of books.or a clear idea of their own profits, if any. It would be very easy to lose money on that system and think you are doing just swell.

           Whoa, talk about backlash over the Trump shooting. It has quashed any grey areas over whose on what side. The left are experts at feigning compassion but it isn’t working. The story that traction is the widow of the firefighter who was killed by the bullet that missed Trump. She refused to talk to Biden, says the media, indicating the exchange could have been much worse. It’s confirmation to America that the Democrats have rehearsed narratives for most everything. What the party does not understand is why these tactics don’t work on Trump. My theory is that most people plain don’t care what Trump did before he was a politician.

           That is, the same thing done while a politician is much worse, and the outcome is the same accusations that would cripple a Democrat candidate have zero effect on Trump. He has chosen a 35-ish former never-Trumper for vice-president, but I see the logic. Back a while the Republicans pressured all their members to try to block Trump. They wanted business as usual. Many went along, but a few saw the light and switched to Trump. My guess is that’s what we see here.
           Have you see the Denver Post? In case I can’t upload the file, their headline today shows a picture of Trump holding his fist high with the caption “Gunman Dies In Attack”. No, that is not satire. It’s a real headline. And did you see the blooper at Biden’s “Take Back Florida” rally? The cameraman panned backwards instead of sideways, revealing the attendance was only 12 people. The cheering and shouting was a sound track.

ADDENDUM
           Arduino. Well, okay, I’m more apt to read a chapter than wire one up, but I keep an eye on the bigger developments. One curious trend is that prices have not been going down as I expected. Or at least going down much slower. And the much-heralded Raspberry Pi is going up. That one was supposed to bring us great things, but so far it is mostly just there. Another disappointment is 3D printing, it just has not kept pace. But that one, I understand. All the easy stuff is already printed, now you need an art and engineering degree to create.
           Maker Faire returns to Orlando in November, but I can’t plan for that stretch yet. By now, had things gone right, I would be jetting around the world to these events just to be there. Mind you, that brings up a topic. Most of the people at the latest events are not the real innovators, but those who have the money to attend. Do you even know where Trieste is? At the top of the Italian boot. What am I supposed to make of that photo of 30 nine-year-olds from Arkansas, with matching computers and sneakers there for the show? You telling me they are inventors? I would be justified to be far more jealous.

Last Laugh