One year ago today: April 8, 2025, my first amp fail.
Five years ago today: April 8, 2021, VPN early warning.
Nine years ago today: April 8, 2017, the long way home.
Random years ago today: April 8, 2005, DVD lobotomy.
Beware of grouch, I seem to have a bad batch of grits. You bet quality varies but I’ve got some that never quite firm up enough for my liking. That would be slightly less mushy than mashed spuds. Sabotage? There’s also the fact that I’ve learned to mention food often and early, it keeps readership high. I should have monetized this ages ago, but that is how much I disapprove of intrusive advertising. I’m saying real grits can be eaten with a fork. What’s with 1-1/2 toasters? Logic.
Here is what I’ve uncovered: the broken element tends to be next to the interior divider of the toaster. My theory is that the burned out face will be on the side that is empty when you make only one slice. That is the element that gets exposed to the full radiant heat that would otherwise be absorbed by a slice of bread. Once again, your favorite blog easily finds a topic that millions on the Internet never imagined, so there. Some toasters indicate which side to use for one slice. As for the countless repair instructions on-line, none address the cause of the breakage. Duh.
At the Thrift, I saw this box of brass stencils, so I spent my dollar to investigate. I’ve never seen these before and wondered why such fancy metal. That part, I don’t know yet, but these are for some embossing process. Only one of each character means they are not for ordinary use. I have a full set of 1” size which sells for over $100. For now, I’ll write them as just a more durable type of ordinary stencils. My research on-line today is the increasing number of videos showing ways to recycle expensive 3D plastics.
Some critter, maybe not a squirrel, has emptied my birdfeeder. I’ll set up camera. I also tipped the bird bath in January to curtail mosquitoes and now cannot lift it back into place. This I compared to the Chinese lady and point out a major contrast. She is all about how there is nothing to do all the time, I’m wishing I had the time to do everything. And the energy, later I may drive to town for some gourmet coffee. And pay ahead on the electric and phone because Florida is full of “them”. And what if the doc wants me to stay around Miami again.
Later, it is a squirrel, an energetic one who can leap an impressive distance. Not having time to plan, I moved the feeder back 18”. To buy some time to think.
Texas cargo theft ring.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.
Cancel the afternoon. I made it to the dog pound, leaving here at 2:00PM and not getting back until 4:30PM. Somehow, I hit rush hour. Or some accident on the Tampa-Disney run has all the crazies diverted through town. I don’t like the new guy at the office, he’s snarky and ferret-like. I had time for the latest audiobook, it’s three teen girls who shot their father. He was disciplining one for sleeping with a married man. I can say already the plot is written by a Canadian due to the strange set of values that keep showing through, especially that quirky concept that if they are right and you are wrong, it somehow changes things.
Back in the day, I had an analogy that would not be relevant now. It’s when cameras were expensive and Kodak owned the film process. Capitalism has a nasty side in that the moment you gain any wealth, you must begin to protect it. My example compared the camera to wealth, but the film was the income. While film was available everywhere, owning and operating the camera was for those who could afford it. If you do not protect the camera, it will get stolen or expropriated.
I had time to plan a small motorized device. The photo is a comparison of the popular motor sizes, the 775 is on the right. I want a tiny vertical drum sander I can use on my desk. The 775 may wind up getting a transformer made from an outdated charging station.
Home to exhaustion and no word from Miami clinic. It’s expected, but no how-to videos could be located to show use of brass stencils. So, I figure they line up just like I did and the concept of brass is to make them last longer and stay easy to clean. But what if you need a double letter? I admit to zonking for six hours, giving me just enough time for a big snack before midnight. I want to be fasting if I get a morning appointment. Overall, I’m doing well, it’s a cool spell so I’m able to wear long-sleeves. It better hides the tubes and bandages.
ADDENDUM
In the news, a 40-ish pinhead becomes the first conviction under Melania’s A.I. law—you can’t deep fake non-consensual sex. The freak who killed Iryna has been declared unfit for trial. Minnesota is a leading proponent of a wealth tax—a concept I have pondered since my first paycheck. The concept is fine, to slow the accumulation of wealth into the hands of a few who have the clout to manipulate the system in their favor.
I draw four distinctions on the topic. Is the wealth earned in the owners lifetime or inherited? Is the wealth invested in tangibles or sitting in the bank? Few people will think this through. Everything I own of value, I paid taxes on the money earned for it. Therefore, I should not be taxed on it again. However, all of my income producing assets are financial, that is, I own no plant and equipment. This is consistent with my philosophy that if you invest after-tax dollars, it means you have sacrificed and risked money and thus are entitled to the returns because of what you own, not what you earn. (This formula means after you are 40, before that, it falters.)
It follows that on inherited money, there was no sacrifice, that is, that money invested was not earned and taxed like income. On the other hand, it is not the poor or working class who create the factories and railroads that in turn create jobs for the masses. It’s too broad a subject, but I am following the lunatics of Minnesota to watch how badly they screw this up.
Watched video on the so-called race riots in London. Looked more like a ballet dance.
