November 10, 2024

Yesteryear
One year ago today: November 10, 2023, band gossip.
Five years ago today: November 10, 2019, my first rabbet box.
Nine years ago today: November 10, 2015, the once-tallest palm.
Random years ago today: November 10, 2018, 858 miles.

           This computer is going into the shop. I used Apple desktops in the previous century, until they became too expensive. And this 2007 unit shows how far they have gone downhill. I recall when they were a serious product, easy to set up and use. I’ve just spent over a week trying to get it to display ordinary pictures on the web and to quit blocking my email provider as unsafe. They have fallen into the “IBM” shithole, with dozens of conflicting settings and references to icons that no longer exist. I finally dropped every possible Apple menu to and tried every option both off and on to no avail. It will not display images on Gab, which is the sole remaining “non-MSM” news source remaining in America. Here is another view of the major surgery on the PA system.

           This Mac will not work right either with Chrome or Safari and is very resistant to default settings. You can click on a picture or music file and it honestly cannot figure out what you want to do with it. But you just know there is a millennial gumming up the gears when you double click the file in frustration and what does it do? Tried to rename the file in all caps, which must figure hugely in those people’s lives, the way they make it a priority. And the Mac has a freaky ability to display your passwords no matter how you disable every such feature you can find.

           A huge breakfast sent the Chooks and I back upstairs into the sack to sleep until noon. Why not, can’t check my email, can’t get any news, but I did get soaked giving the doggie a bath, whoa did need it. It’s true, he has not been in the tub since I was here in August. He does not mind the bath, but you got to get him in the tub first and that is one heavy dog. He slipped, I grabbed for his neck and his flea collar came off in my hand. Which actually made it easier to get him scrubbed. This blog dares to highlight a doggie bath but that is better than a day of nothing. It’s a philosophy more people could adhere to. There is a reason it gets such billing today in that the dog has learned to drag my clothes off a hanger or chair and plop down.
           You see, the dog is also heavy enough to press those shirts and any cotton slacks into a mass of wrinkles. This was further incentive for me to spend the morning reading and snoozing. Then it decided to rain, so cancel any long walks. If like myself, you find technical reading enjoyable for the challenge, this household is not the best. Lots of books on peace, love, and harmony if that’s your thing. I was reduced to reading the junk mail. What have we? An offer for German razor blades. Here’s some baggy clothes (a.k.a. active ware) for women losing their shape. A coupon to insure my garbage disposal, microwave, and ceiling fans. Do I need a free home consultation for wooden window blinds?
           Wait, here’s something. Twelve bottles of wine with bold flavours and enticing labels. (Neat, this computer is stuck on English spellings.) I don’t buy twelve bottles a year so what is the catch? Ah, here we go, delivery only. Dang. What else we got? Cookware backed by 75,000 five-star reviews and free from PTFE, PFAS, and PFDA. Nobody wants pots and pans full of acronyms. Here’s the usual Verizon sucker ads and “science-backed” weight loss programs. I’ll skip the ready-to-eat meal delivery service. I ain’t that lazy yet. Besides, this address already has too many people around who eat out of plastic containers. I just carted eight bags of them to the recycle, that’s how I know.

           Later, I got a bit of news, mostly anti-Trump junk and this computer seems configured to not allow AP news. I”m curious to see how many lawyers who formerly used their entrenched political appointments to attack Trump will now scatter before the inauguration. It’s hilarious to hear their claims the DOJ is merit-based and apolitical when they were behind so many of the attacks. I’ve watched several Rumble videos that leave the impression that the Democrat fallout is real. These people are sincerely unhinged and their fears are looking quite real. They are worried on a level we are not even aware of. What have they been up to? These people are really shitting their pants as even the MSM is calling a “spreading sense of dread”.
           The State Media has taken up the position that Trump is wielding so-called unlimited power to upset the checks and balances when, in fact, Trump is using the very laws the Democrats put in place to stop him from running. As well, the existing civil service is in a panic not knowing how far down the chain the Trump firings will extend. Musk is advising 90%.

Picture of the day.
“Hypnotic” eye shadow.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Lookie, free from the library, a COVID test kit. Two tests, for his & hers, I guess. For lack of more captivating reading, let’s look at the disclaimer. This test does not determine if you had COVID or have immunity. Not FDA approved. It says here the test is not conclusive and there is an entire paragraph on false positive results. They thoughtfully add you should not read the results card if you are colour blind. This computer won’t let me type c-o-l-o-r.

           I just ran three loads of laundry, most of it communal stuff like kitchen towels, small mats, and cushion covers. That’s why I don’t care for long-term company. I understand they don’t know the drills as well as I do, but when you see me do it once, that should be enough. Then me and the digester curled up with a booklet and listened to bass riffs on the Apple. A common theme was the top most impressive riffs. I listened to them all and only recognized two. “La Bamba” which I like and “Beat It” which I don’t. I should butt in here and say that I draw a sharp line between playing bass and playing guitar-riffs on the bass. And I subscribe to the theory that the best bass player is the guy who can play 16th notes, but doesn’t. Slap yo momma, not the bass.
           This brought up my best seven list, which I’ll need to do some thinking about, since I tend to play certain fills that are not there. You can do the hours of reading to figure that one out, but it boils down to a simpler formula. I know the scale notes and often lead into the next chord in that scale. That’s an over-simplification but here’s my top seven list, some of which I’ve received standing ovations for. Others are very weak and take inordinate effort to play impressively. But my criteria here is audience reaction.

Last Train to Clarksville - Monkees
Next Broken Heart - Brookes & Dunne
The Breeze - Skynyrd
Hot Dog - Led Zep
Mama’s Broken Heart - Lambert
Six Days On The Road - Husky
These Boots - Sinatra

           I had to leave out two of my favourites because what I play is not in the originals. “Folsom Prison” and “Guitars & Cadillacs”. The seven tunes I most like to play that are not on that list are:

Don’t Rock the Jukebox - Strait
Jackson - Cash & Carter
Long-Hair Country Boy - Daniels
Spiders & Snakes - Stafford
I’ve Just Seen A Face - McCartney
Memphis - Berry
Locomotive Breath - Tull

           And the list would not be complete without the seven I least like to play and most of these were old before I ever touched a bass.

House of the Rising Sun
Bad Moon Rising
And any five Eagles tunes, so there.

ADDENDUM
           One of the least understood battle of the Second World War is Gazala. So I was surprised to find an exceptionally good documentary called Britain’s Worse Ever. It emphasized the huge qualitative difference in the skill levels that more than once put Rommel’s inferior numbers at an advantage. They were less cumbersome than the masses of British armor, and I especially liked the comparisons to the war with Russia. Rommel, understrength as he was, had 25% as many tanks as in the entire Eastern Front.

Last Laugh