February 3, 2025

Yesteryear
One year ago today: February 3, 2024, the “don’t jump” fiasco.
Five years ago today: February 3, 2020, remember state IDs?
Nine years ago today: February 3, 2016, falling prices.
Random years ago today: February 3, 2003, the pic is 1991.

           Ah, a second pot of chicken and the hearty news that another batch of Feds have been told not to show up for work this morning. This, so soon after learning that “just doing my job” has never worked too well. The toppling of the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) may historically become the single most important Trump achievement, as it was the money source for most else that was going wrong. I think America has not yet seen the results pouring in.

           Think of fence posts as a local health indicator. Here is the progress since late y’day. You got the four tools: digger, shovel, level, and tamper which do not haul themselves out of the shed and back. I suppose a few people have noted the recent attention on the old sidecar. At this time, that is coincidence. Meanwhile part of my destiny is doing the same work I did sixty years ago. But this time it is for my own benefit and that makes all the difference.

           Throwing in a load of laundry, I noted how the washer is 12 feet from the breaker box, but because I have to move this desk to get at the junction box, the power is routed from 140 feet away. Underground to the shed sub-panel, back through the red lean-to, underground again to the silo, then overhead to the old deck work cover, and across to the deck and back down. I won’t get to that soon, as I’ve got two cut off plumbing valves to connect.
           I put in another hour trying to find out more about that digital wallet, but again, cannot get any straight answers. Oh, I know exactly what it is, but I want information. I gather that most people who have them just went on-line, and knowing the jargon, followed the directions—the perfect formula for being suckered in during the computer age. None of the sites described the dangers or downsides or how this might affect other parts of you existence. It could be another Google or MicroSoft and these people are signing away important rights, but what to they care? They have a permanent place to whine after things go wrong, it’s called the Internet.

           The recent guitarist has sent a partial list and, so far, he’s no better than the rest for bad choices. But due to the dirth of what’s needed, you try what is available. Nothing but slow, dreadful funeral music revealing that he has not, even for a moment in his entire musical career, listened to what it is the other members of the band have to play to his choices. I mean, I like “Momma Don’t Let Your Babies” but I would not play that at Saturday party. It’s not a bad listen-to ballad, it’s that for a party, there are better selections.
           As for his other material, please ask yourself this question. Do you honestly think anybody would want to listen for two hours if I wrote songs about the process of learning bass? Going on for hours about brands of strings and disappointments? No, it would bore you to death. And I’m saying the same thing about guitar players. What’s wrong with playing music that the audience likes? Oh, right. I forgot, there is always another guitar player out there who once applauded.

Picture of the day.
Arizona mega-drought.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Here is this month’s donation to the Sheriff’s pound, courtesy of the Robot Club. Remember, if it involves a tax receipt, ID, registration, or a mailing list, it does not qualify as charity around here. The weight on this one went up, this bag is 50 pounds. I can lift it, but my back later complains. I know, get into the specialist. I’m planning it out, but it’s not an idea that thrills me. That, plus I know it is the cool evenings that slow me down and they are getting warmer.

           My take on current events is not that America is changed out of recognition, because I recognize it becoming the place it would have been had the bad guys been caught earlier. Trump’s master stroke was not conducting the frontal attack the Left was expecting, but cuttone off their money supply. It was hilarious watching the worst of the Congressman being blocked from entering the USAID building. They’ve been cut off, and I predict the ramifications will soon flow through the enter economy in no time.
           Derry Downs, I was there. Yes, it is worth an evening to go see. The best I can do is tell you what to expect. It is an old-fashioned dance hall like I have not seen since the 1970s. A bit of a memory lane on how bands and gigs operated at that time, filling the gap between high school graduation and the drinking age of 21. It is acoustic (through a small PA) and dominated by solo guitarists. There is nobody present under the age of 60, so take “community hall” with a grain of salt. And they are all aging hippies, meaning the pony tails are now grey.

           Mercifully, there were no Blues players. Instead, it leaned more toward folk music and John Prine. (Yes the same guy they say died of “carona virus complications”.) Tonight’s best fare was some novelty originals, mostly about getting old and former prostitute acquaintances, I gather. You sign up at the door, first come first serve, and it is immediately evident the show is mostly regulars. There is a edge to the atmosphere that newcomers will detect—that while the room likes new people, they are not amenable to much outside their own pocket, sometimes called a tegument.

           My duo of Tiki bar music would have been out of place, so I left my bass in the van. The place sells soft drinks and has the air of an old guitar museum, and yes, they do go on about that. There were roughly 45 people present, a surprising large group for a Florida Monday. Make sure you are comfortable with sitting for three hours, or less if (like this evening) there was really only one new act. Some lady from Illinois.
           Making mistakes is okay, the crowd is very tolerant. They can even remind you lyrics to songs by some pretty obscure artists. What a treat nobody played any Eagles. The show was over by 8:00PM and the audience helped stack up the chairs, which is most of what you need to know about the makeup of the patronage.

ADDENDUM
           Here’s my quick review of investment opportunities. My focus is finding a site that pays daily and allows me to use my advantages. Like how I can manage the investment myself and how I can put money aside. Don’t suggest digital ATMs, they are far from “passive” when you look at what you have to do. Buying yourself a job is not an investment. I seek something that does not require technical skill, hey, I’m getting old, and I want something you set up one-time and the income continues “without further effort”, I believe is the operative phrase.
           I am definitely not averse to making money off the backs of those who do not put in comparable effort. Laziness costs money and all I want is my share. I’m determined to find something. Lofty is out of the picture. It turns out nobody over there can describe what they do in plain English. The conclusion is that they themselves don’t know.
Ideal would be some way to shave off fractions of a cent from on-line transactions. Something where I don’t have to “foster relationships” or “grow social engagements”. I don’t want to join any communities or create missions.            Now on-line payroll advances would be good, as long as the software made sure the money was extracted from the borrower at source when due. For all I know, it’s out there, but nobody knows what it is called. And where I recognize the need at some level for “accredited investor” status, I don’t like that you cannot opt out of the requirement once it’s there. It is not offered, if it is there you have no choice except to not invest, a.k.a. a Canadian choice.

Last Laugh