April 26, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 26, 2025, such people.
Five years ago today: April 26, 2021, my bass solo list.
Nine years ago today: April 26, 2017, 185x more.
Random years ago today: April 26, 2023, fun music challenge.

           So, the 2027 cars will go ahead with biometric monitoring. Watch for a surge in used car prices. This move is calculated, as most Americans don’t want such surveillance—but can the auto-makers survive long enough to force the issue? That takes government bailouts and a critical mass of suckers to buy in, kind of like how MicroSoft works. We have visitors in the yard.

           Here is a scene from this afternoon. It looked like the entire KIA transmission drain bolt is missing. This is a special plastic and steel unit meant to trap metal filings. Nobody carries this part. My plan is not changed, plug the drain long enough to get the van back here. I have put 18 miles on the Hundy totaling ten trips including to Autozone and Wal*Mart. While this saves me a bundle, it is not efficient. This is now day four.
           Another PPP is the jack stands. I can’t find them now that I need them. There is not enough room to get under the KIA, though I may be able to locate the upper fill bolt—all of these require wrench sizes I don’t have. The jack stands may be underneath the pressure sprayer in the KIA trunk, and I cannot lift the unit out of the way by myself. Later, it turns out that is not the drain hole. It is just a hole where the on-line expert uber-mechanic said it would be. He lied. Here is a diagram from the official KIA manual to prove the directions are wrong.

           My muscles are sore, cheer up, it is from work, not from my condition. It means a morning at my desk, which unfortunately has to face away from the big window. That is why there are many bells to alert me. The mystery pale yellow birds are back, as are the latest generation of cardinals. The tiny birds, sparrows or wrens, are nice but grab and run. The squirrel has defeated my latest measure, time to review the game cam.
           Now the ancient raccoon, smaller so probably a female. So old I can see the pain as she moves. Is it the same one, or is my yard the legendary raccoon’s graveyard? She is so old she has to scavenge in the daylight, so I let her wander around between the sheds. Sometimes I’ll put out any stale crusts or bakery crumbs, yet do not want to encourage any wild things. Except Taylor, who we have not heard from lately. Hey, she’s pushing 40. Time to slow down, curl up, get some rest.

           How long was I in that hospital? I’ve been consuming much more soup, a product I usually used sparingly. Is it appetite or the pills? Or something even simpler, that I can sit here typing with soup along with coffee and be content for hours? There, I have a reason. My total planning universe centers on right here, so let’s count the change bucket. I’ve been away so it will again be $37.50, which was learned from my years of owning vending machines so long ago. Yep, $39.80 and I’m contemplating a different use for that money. I beat 51 champions on my word puzzle, undated the books, and read a chapter on how to flush empty oil tankers. Not my finest morning.
           There is some defect in the game cam that causes a delay of several seconds before recording. That is precisely the footage I want, instead I get lots of view of squirrels already on the feeder. I’m working on it.
           I do not know how many vehicles you’ve owned in your life. Myself, I lost count and so the KIA is either a 2010 or a 2012. Why not just look on the door? Because guess which number has been scraped off by the door flange?

Picture of the day.
In Jacksoonville, FL
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           How to waste an afternoon? It’s a snap in Florida, most residents do it without an ounce of training or encouragement. I got out to the KIA with what I needed to assess the unfolding repair. We are still looking to move it, not find out what went wrong. Maybe I did. I tried to manually cut the offending bolt, but it was hardened steel. So I strung out the Yeti only to find the width of the cutting head would not fit up to the bolt. This, I cut off the plastic shroud half way and threw it on the ground. This allowed me space to examine the transmission pan and that’s how I found the next problem.

           Shown here is the Yeti, cutting device, hand saw, and the piece cut off. Don’t let me convey the impression this is lite work that went slowly. It is merely saving a lot of money. I’ve been driving the Hundy and still have to hunt for parts. Still, a quarter tank of gas is a small price considering the alternatives. But, we are getting close to that tow.

           Here’s a epic fail, in this case it a “beauty filter”. Have you seen the latest in beauty filters? Those A.I apps than enhance your looks, I tried the earlier brands but could not see any difference. Today I ran my old hospital picture through the first offering on my results and this is what they think I should look like. Since the default results in female faces, which makes sense in a way, I looked to see if women had issues with the software. Ha, you bet.
           There is a clip of some Chinese super-hot whose filter failed. She lost a half-million viewers in something like ten seconds. If I have time, I’ll make a blog-friendly version of it below, as mostly usual, no sound so it is safe for work.

           Then, I knuckled down and viewed a number of KIA videos. The ones that show the inlet port below the battery bracket are bogus and the AOLs who made those videos ought to know better. I removed my battery to find the bracket was spot welded at the factory But other videos showed an “injection: port accessible with the batter still in place. It is identifiable by a plastic screw. So, tomorrow I will try one more. I plain feel like sitting down and thinking. Examining the leak in bright sunlight shows it is very slow, as in a bad gasket.
           The Reb checked on me, what can I report? The past week has been remarkable compared to previous entire months. All the baddies remain, tingling numbness in fingers, leg won’t heal, tightness in chest—but the important one is overall strength level. That’s what not only determines general recovery, it makes other associated ills much more tolerable.
           In daily news, an Egyptian mummy was found to have segments of the Illiad in the sarcophagus. So much for the theory they were African.

ADDENDUM
           Used cars. Consider some of the “features” that will begin to appear in 2027 vehicles, The steering wheel records your fingerprints and the cameras record your face because it can lip-read. All conversations are recorded and the radio, while listening for “wrong-speak”, will play ads based on what you are talking about. Your heartrate and pupil size are recorded by “smart-eye” and you can bet this data does not disappear if not used. Ford is the ringleader but they are all in on it, claiming the data is to prevent an estimated 6,000 to 9,000 highway deaths annually.

           The whole system typifies what is wrong with their thinking. They presume that fault in these deaths is spread evenly over all drivers. In fact, a cursory study would reveal what insurance companies already know—the majority of accidents are caused by a small group who are already well-known. This is the dividing line between use and abuse. The authorities could easily draw up plans to target the baddies, and sure, there would be some screaming.
           But stopping harm is not their focus. They want the right to keep tabs on everybody, cradle to grave. Since that includes the innocent and average, it means you are dealing with an ulterior motive. This agenda has been obvious for decades, they want society marching in columns under their direct and instant control. The existence of dictatorships proves this.

           Here is our Chinese model who got revealed. Oh, we know the less-than-sevens will howl how shallow men are over beauty, but men are even shallower when it comes to women who fake too much. That broad was way over the line.

Last Laugh