August 31, 2025

Yesteryear
One year ago today: August 31, 2024, 1421 blog coincidence.
Five years ago today: August 31, 2020, old in one day.
Nine years ago today: August 31, 2016, I liked FileExpress.
Random years ago today: August 31, 2004, recalling my worse date.

           I made it to September 2025, past my own expectations. I got a note saying Becky had passed away from cancer. This appears to have been kept quiet, even from family. I’m getting more alone than ever. Every day from here on is borrowed time, yet I doubt it will make any difference in my life now--because I'm the only one left to ponder it. I claim to have made a pretty good run of it all. The Derry Downs jam session is this Monday, but it is Labor Day and they are being millennials about confirming if the show is cancelled or not. By default, no show. I’m not the one to be worried about being "cancelled", you see, because tomorrow marks the beginning of a new demographic this world has not seen before. September 1 commences the mass turning-40 of the childless American feminist class, by the millions.

           Prior to this, there were two surplus categories of society. Young, unmarried men, and old men. Both pretty much useless for their contributions and the occasional war could trim the excess. But what will happen to all these women? There are very few chances and options left, it’s not like they can make up for lost time. I personally don’t know any man who has a choice (that’s a big condition) who would date such women even if they were total babes. While older people tend to develop a lot of foibles, men usually become less tolerant of them.
           Most men have also learned that older women are just not worth the effort, not to mention the risk to your assets. And no, I don’t feel sorry for the women. As I said back in the 80s when feminism was still an oddity, “They demanded equality. Now let them deal with it.”

           Take a moment to admire the winner of my utility box design. Cardboard is no good long-term in the Florida humidity. A few finishing touches and here it is. As for the fancy knob, I have around forty of them kicking around that have finally found a use. There are design flaws, for instance, that top groove has to be eliminated as that is the spot where a brad nail must be driven. Overall the box is quick and easy to build.

           I have received multiple links saying silver has broken the $40 ceiling, but cannot confirm any of it. The usual sources, like Kitco, show a maximum trade at $39.84. I hope for a breakthrough and some panic buying. I owe the system nothing. Sure, I have nice things, but nobody gave them to me. Please let silver hit $400 for just one day. Newsom, the California governor, has officially complained that ICE agents at the polls will scare illegals from voting.

           Let’s see what useless object I can feature this morning. How about this doo-dad, can you guess what it is? Hint, it a genxed product. Designed by some “genius” who is oblivious to the hardships he causes others. The 8 is the clue. Give up? Remember the sandals I bought from Wal*Mart? This is the thingee used to clip the pairs together. It locks the shoes so they cannot be separated. Brilliant, right? Not so fast, how can this be screwed up?
           This is a permanently affixed item, it cannot be removed temporarily, thus keeping the sandals as a pair. The store would be annoyed if you removed it. What could go wrong? It was a piece of cake to make this a piece of junk. See the curved horns that jut out from the center? Those go inside the straps of the sandals. This makes it impossible to try on the shoes without that plastic biting into your foot. Rather painful. Where do they even?

           Up early, I watched a documentary on a shock table. These are the massive devices used to emulate earthquakes to test structures. Earthquakes are like floods, if it happens at a given location, it will happen again.

Picture of the day.
Cairo.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           I sliced some wood in the shed when a blasting thunderstorm winked out the power. It came back but I’ve been caught in the sheds in the dark before. I got inside for coffee and did some reading, including more of “1421”. I’m not buying the speculation there was a Chinese blubber factory on Ellesmere Island, as there were also Vikings in the area. But I can agree no Eskimos or “first nations” ever built stone housing tracts big enough for 3,000 people. I'm surprised there are no Eskimo casinos.

           I’m more curious why every picture of the site has been purged from the Internet. Here is the only pic associated with the dig, but it is a fake as the background shows apartment buildingd. Seems to me I recall reading ads for summer volunteers to work an Ellesmere site some 50 years ago. Today, the ruins are not even mentioned, Canada has imposed some kind of blackout. They have also embarrassed themselves by pulling US liquor off their store shelves. It was supposed to teach a lesson and in reality made fools of themselves, as there are no substitutes for items like Jack Daniels, a whiskey made in Tennessee.

           The U.K. weather department has been caught fabricating data from non-existent stations. Kicking the lazy off Section 8 (welfare housing) is correcting an evil most Americans have hated since day one. Hillary is under investigation for stealing $2 billion. SpaceX launched another 28 satellites this morning, bringing the total Starlink units to 9,575. Around 8,200 are functioning. Today used the Falcon rocket, with reusable first stage. It splashed down off the Florida east coast. Tomorrow is Labor Day where we get to celebrate government unions.

ADDENDUM

           One of several projects is this hinge jig. After examining what’s there, I concluded rather than anything fancy, I should make a jig for each size of hinge. For my boxes, that is usually a “one inch” type that is really a half-inch on each side. It’s a match for most of my boxes and if I can’t make this, I can’t make the others. I’m adapting it from a door-hinge video where the hinge is always a fixed distance from the corner. Wish me luck as I do not know if the result will be able to fit over a small box as they are sized for door frames.
           It’s a mystery I so like this hobby. After five years I’m still a rookie. These utility boxes are challenging fun. Like playing bass, you can always try to be a little bit better. I’ve praised expensive glue for the nicer boxes, but have found a generous dollop of cheap glue is fine for ordinary work. You know, kid’s glue, Elmer glue, anything that’s on sale.

           There are other considerations. The door-size jig is indeed too large to use on a smaller box, so that had to be redesigned. The jig has to fit the box bottom and lid after the pieces have been cut apart, yet be flexible enough in use to accommodate size variations as encountered.

Last Laugh